Lifeline
by Philosopher Fictionist
Summary: FINISHED. Riddick seeks out an old friend, who's battling the same enemy he is. PB, R-OFC, rated R for language, violence and adult situations later on. Main character's name is pronounced Chih-kah-gay.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Fixed some issues I found re-reading. It should make things fit together better.

Lifeline

Chapter 1

"Do I get to find out when or will I just have to wait until the call comes and scramble at the last minute to get my shit together?" Chikage Pierce sat across from the man behind the desk, the back of his chair facing her, her ankles crossed, boots resting on the table. A fist supported her head, her elbow pillowed in the stuffing of her leather chair as she leaned on the armrest. A cloud of blue smoke rose slowly as the man exhaled, and she bit back a smirk.

"You'll know when I know," he said simply. "Just tell me if you're up for the task." His voice held an edge to it, as usual, and she'd learned not to read too much into it. It was when his voice didn't sound strained that she worried. She inhaled sharply, letting the breath out slowly as though she were pondering her answer.

"You hired me as a bodyguard, Marcus," she said, adding a slight tone of acquiescence to her words. "You know better than to ask that question." Leather creaked as he shifted in his chair, pivoting slowly. He moved slowly, deliberately, resting his elbows on his desk as he folded his hands together, leaning his chin on his knuckles.

"This isn't exactly in your job description," he conceded, tilting his head to the side to appear calculating. Her eyebrow rose.

"Yes, actually, it is." He stared into her light brown eyes; brown approaching yellow in color. She held his gaze confidently. "Don't question me, Marcus," she said quietly. "You know you need me." He nodded, as though it were painful to admit. "And I know you can't do this without me." He sighed. "You hired me as a bodyguard, yes," she continued. "And that means my job description includes only your protection. Nothing more, nothing less. So yes, this _is_ in my job description. If there's any question about that, hire a different body guard." His eyebrow rose. "Not another one," she pressed, "a different one."

"I know," he said with a touch of a smile. "You work alone." Her expression remained unchanged, and he finally averted his eyes from hers, though he knew she would interpret it as a victory and a sign of weakness on his part. "You'll know when I know," he repeated, nodding once as if it made his statement a promise.

"The moment you know, and not the moment before it happens," she said slowly.

"The moment I know," he agreed. She stared at him for a moment and stood.

"Dave's waiting out side," she said, not bothering to turn toward him as she walked to the door. "His turn on shift now, but I'll hang around for a while to avoid drawing more attention." She paused, hand hovering over the doorknob, and turned back to him, smirking at the discovery he'd turned his chair again. "Don't want everyone knowing you need bodyguards." He waved at her, the cigar between his fingers leaving an artsy trail of smoke in the air.

She knew the moment she opened the door something was different. After a quick nod to Dave, she glided through the darkened club, eyes flitting around as she approached her spot. It was always empty, unless she was sitting there, and she slid across the circular leather bench behind the table, propping her feet up once again on the opposite side of the seat, crossing her arms over her chest. The bartender glanced up at her and she nodded once, smiling at his returned signal before he busied himself behind the counter. Sujun, the cocktail waitress, appeared a moment later, laying a napkin on the table and sprinkling it with salt before setting Chikage's drink on it.

"Anything I should know about?" Chikage asked quietly. Sujun glanced at her quickly.

"New guy," she said with a shrug. Chikage's eyebrow rose. "Never seen him before, but he's not making trouble if that's what you're asking."

"Seem like he's waiting on someone?"

"No, just having a drink and watching the show like most of the guys that come in here," Sujun said with a small shake of the head and a thoughtful frown. "Why?"

"Just wondered," Chikage answered with a reassuring smile.

"I thought you were off duty anyway," Sujun continued, glancing pointedly at the drink she'd just set on the table.

"I am," Chikage replied, punctuating her answer with a long swallow. "But you know as well as I do how relative 'off-duty' is around here." Sujun chuckled, shrugging.

"Let me know if you need anything else," the girl said, still smiling as she turned.

"Keep me in the loop." Sujun nodded, glancing back at Chikage before heading back to the bar. Chikage watched her go, shifting slightly against the back of the bench to adjust the butt of the pistol digging into her back. She planned to stay until the place closed, just like she always did. Then she'd watch from the alley alongside the club as Dave escorted Marcus into a black sedan and drive off, watching until she was alone on the lot before heading back to her apartment, just like she always did. And finally, she'd fall asleep in front of her computers, just like she always did.

---

Three in the morning now and she'd still not spotted the new guy Sujun had mentioned. James, the bartender, was wiping down the counter, signaling the last call for drinks before the bar closed, and the last song was playing before patrons were ushered out. Only four heads not employed here remained, and all were regulars. She'd been watching the door and hadn't noticed anyone new leaving. _Fuck._ She shook her head, rubbing her eyes before standing, and pulling her trench coat back on. James nodded as she left the table, and she returned the gesture, noting to herself once again it was probably the most common movement in her collection. A nod was so much more versatile than any other gesture or even speaking, most times. She went out the side door, leaning against the corner of the building until the lights went out. Thirty seconds later, Dave emerged, glancing around the back parking lot before Marcus ventured out, following his male bodyguard to the vehicle and crawling in before him. The car pulled out, and the tail lights disappeared. After a final glance, she turned and walked down the alley way, her feet carrying her silently across the sidewalks.

---

_One of these days I'm gonna have to get a life,_ she thought with a wry smile, flopping into her chair with a contented sigh. Her eyes lingered on her monitors, and her eyes narrowed in concentration as the front door opened and Dave followed Marcus in. Neither man had been happy at Chikage's insistence she be allowed to install security cameras, much less monitor them from her home. But after she pulled Marcus aside and explained her reasoning, he finally agreed and convinced Dave to as well, even making his male bodyguard help with the installation. Though their relationship could have turned into a competition, Dave and Chikage ended up working well together, even though they split the days into two twelve hour shifts. Chikage took the day shift, explaining that Dave's presence would draw more unwanted attention than hers, since most people would assume she was Marcus' sister or lover – either worked. Dave's night shift went virtually unnoticed, as there were generally three groups of people in this city – those who went to bed before the club closed, those who frequented the club and were too drunk to notice either Marcus or Dave, and those who Dave and Chikage were hired to keep at bay.

Though Chikage played the role most took to be a lover or relative, those after Marcus knew her too well to venture close, much like their feelings toward Dave. Both she and Dave were preceded by their hard earned reputations, and Marcus spent a good chunk of his profits on them without batting an eye. He needed them and knew it, and had absolutely no problem either admitting that need or paying to have it met. Sure, Marcus had his security entourage, but Chikage and Dave were top notch, the rest of the team basically back up for them. No vacations, no sick leave, and no tardiness.

Her eyes remained glued to the monitors, following each camera window as Marcus moved from room to room, until his light was extinguished, and Dave lifted the phone, punching in numbers before staring up at the camera poised over his head. Her pager buzzed insistently at her hip, and she glanced down at it, turning it so she could see without removing it from the clip attached to her belt.

0-0-0.

_Good. All's well. _She smiled, leaning back in her chair, reaching out to shuffle a stack of poker chips she'd been unable to cash in at her last excursion. A heavy sigh. Her eyes focused on her mobile computer and she shook her head. _Not tonight, Chi,_ she chided herself. _Something's up._ Another lingering glance, and her eyes closed, her fingers pausing on the chips mid-shuffle.

"Okay," she said, standing. "Fine." The poker chips went into her pocket, and the mobile in the other after synchronizing with her main system. She checked her clip and returned her gun to its holster before snatching up her keys.

---

"Lady bets one thousand." Chikage's eyes met her opponent's, who quickly dropped his gaze back to his cards. When he glanced up at her again, her stare hadn't wavered, and he swallowed, dropping his sunglasses back over his eyes. The clicking of her constant chip-shuffling was starting to get under his skin, she could tell, but she kept it up.

"Call." She smirked inwardly, her eyes leaving the man's only long enough to watch the flop. Texas Hold 'Em was an old game, and her chosen poison.

"Deuce of hearts, trey of spades, six of spades. Gentleman's bet," the dealer said flatly. Her opponent stared at the flop, then glanced back at Chikage. He took another look at his cards.

"Check." The dealer's gaze shifted back to the lady, but unlike most people, she didn't look at her cards again. She never understood that. She knew what she had from the first peek, so why return to it? The clicking stopped as she cocked her head, watching her fingers select a stack of chips.

"Lady raises twenty-five hundred. Gentleman's play." He scratched his eyebrow with his thumb, and she suppressed a smirk, watching his eyes return to her fingers as her shuffling chips returned.

"Call." _Stupid._ Her face didn't reflect the thought. One card was discarded, and one turned up.

"Jack of diamonds. Gentleman's play."

"Check." Chip shuffling silenced. Chikage tapped her fingers on the board.

"Lady checks." A card thrown out, another turned up. "Nine of clubs. Gentleman's play." She watched him size up his stack. "Gentleman bets five hundred. Lady's play." She shuffled her chips some more, appearing to think about the bet, and tossed in five hundred. "Lady calls." A card tossed, another turned. "Eight of spades. Gentleman's play."

"Check." Chikage watched him for a moment, and then selected her bet.

"Lady raises three thousand. Gentleman's play." She knew her raise would put him all-in, but she also knew he thought his pair of Jacks and ten kicker was the best hand. His thumb scratched his eyebrow again, and she knew she had him.

"Fine," the man said, standing slowly after pushing in his stack of chips. "You didn't get your straight on the river." She glanced back down at the cards as he flipped his over. Jack of spades, ten of spades.

"You're right," she said with a shrug, flipping over her cards. "I flopped it." He let out a growl, watching the dealer push what was his money over to her, and she neatly stacked it in a tray. "Don't be a sore loser," she said, a slightly teasing tone to her voice as her trench shifted just enough to give him a glimpse of the straps of her holster. She wasn't worried – she had a permit and this was a concealed carry city anyway.

"I'll win it back from you," he said, still obviously angry.

"You're probably right," she agreed, still stacking up her chips. "But that's how the game goes." The dealer stifled a snicker and she glanced up at him with a quick wink. She didn't wait for the man to leave the table, instead collecting her stacked trays of chips and heading to the cashier's window. _Not bad for four hours' work,_ she thought with a mental grin, watching the girl behind the bars count out thirty thousand dollars in cash. She slipped the money into her inside pocket and smiled before leaving the casino to head home. She was two hours behind on sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Lifeline

Chapter 2

"I have some errands to run," Marcus said once Chikage closed her door. Her eyebrow rose, but she didn't say anything, only nodded once. "South fifth street," he directed. He pointed to the building once they arrived and she sized it up quickly as she walked around the car to open his door. She followed him up the walkway, then through the door and the building's winding hallways.

"Place smells like shit," she commented quietly as they waited for Marcus' knock to be answered.

"Waste treatment plant," he explained quietly.

"Ah." The door opened, the man standing behind it nodding and moving out of the way. He eyed Chikage, but she only quirked an eyebrow, looking him up and down before brushing past him. She waited as instructed, and Marcus entered a room, shutting the door behind him.

"You're a bodyguard?" She turned her head slightly, her lightly tinted sunglasses meant to shield without hiding her stare.

"Are you surprised?" The man shrugged. "You shouldn't be." Her voice dropped to a menacing tone with her last sentence, and he lifted his hands, as though surrender.

"No offense, lady. I know Marcus would only hire the best, so I'm not questioning." She nodded, and said no more. "How long you been workin' for him?" She glanced at him, a warning, and said nothing. He nodded, and sat on a couch, glancing at her from time to time as she remained propped against the wall just outside the door Marcus was behind. A few minutes later, it opened, and she led him out.

---

From the corner of her eye, she saw Marcus reach out and click on the radio, the noise playing at a low volume. He glanced at her, hand still hovering near the knob, and she glanced at the contraption, then to him with a small smirk.

"Silence bother you, Marcus?" He laughed lightly, retracting his hand as he leaned back in the seat.

"Saturday at midnight," he said quietly, his smile falling. Her jaw clenched, and she nodded. "That's Dave's shift."

"I'll be there too."

"Chikage –"

"Look, Marcus. I'm not letting you run off to do this with just one primary." He sighed. "I know how important this is to you, and nothing's going to get in the way." She paused, glancing at him quickly. "Do you really think I go home as soon as my shift ends?" His head turned toward her just as her attention returned to the road. The rest of the ride was silent.

---

Chikage sat in her regular booth, legs propped up as usual, and the men started pouring in. Thursday nights were always busy, meaning two extra guards placed as patrons. As they entered the bar, they met Chikage's eyes and went to their tables, watching as casually as Chikage did. Music blared, and drinks sloshed. At one point, one of the men reached out to a black-haired stripper named Jade, one of the favorites, and, though she placed her foot firmly on his chest and pushed him back into his chair, Chikage stood, barely shaking her head at the two undercover guards beginning to rise. She glanced at the back door, leading to Marcus' office, and they slowly sat back, nodding slightly. The man who'd grabbed for Jade looked up at her when she tapped his shoulder, and she leaned down, whispering into his ear before grabbing him by the shirt collar and dragging him toward the door with little resistance. As she made her way back to her booth, she spotted him, with just a negligible pause in her gait. He was sitting at her table. He noticed her notice him, lifting his glass to his lips as she slid into her usual spot across from him.

"Must be the new guy Sujun told me about last night," she said quietly, holding her cigarette between her teeth as she reached for her lighter. He cocked his head to the side, eyes twinkling. "No one sits in my booth," she added, punctuating the statement with a slow stream of smoke.

"I didn't see a reserved sign," he replied with a small smirk. She sighed, flicking her ashes into the ashtray before looking back up at him.

"What are you doing here, Riddick?" He sighed, leaning his elbows on the table.

"I need a favor," he said quietly. Her eyebrow rose.

"I can't," she fired back hurriedly.

"You can't." His voice held a touch of disbelief, but she only nodded, taking another long drag. "It's important."

"So is this."

"What, bouncing for a strip joint?" he asked incredulously.

"You really think I'd sink to that level?" Her eyes met his angrily.

"Oh, I see," he said with a smile, leaning back against the bench. "Nice." She shrugged, taking another visual sweep of the place. "Someplace we can talk?" She glanced at him quickly, sighed, and then nodded at Sujun.

"Sujun, will you write down directions to Sweeney's for this man and make it look like you're giving him your phone number when he hits on you before he leaves in a few hours?" Chikage asked. Sujun nodded with a puzzled look, but Chikage smiled her reassuring smile, and the girl disappeared again. "Four a.m.," she instructed, turning her attention back to Riddick. "I might be able to find someone for you."

"I can't trust anyone else," Riddick hissed quickly. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Will you trust them if I trust them?" Her eyes searched his while he hesitated, but he gave no response. "Look, I can't explain right now, okay? We'll talk later." He nodded, folding the napkin neatly before sliding it into a pocket. "Not here."

"Not now," Riddick finished, watching the flash of a smile in her eyes before standing. "Good to see you, Chi." She didn't respond.

---

As always, she waited in the alley until the tail lights disappeared, then turned, heading toward the quietest pub in town. He was already there, sipping on a glass of water, knowing she'd arrived without acknowledging her. She slid into the seat across from him, ordering a drink when the waiter appeared as she sat, and glanced at Riddick.

"So talk," she said quietly.

"Can I?"

"Yeah," she answered with a small nod. "It's safe." He nodded, watching the waiter approach with a tall glass of dark liquid, waiting until he was gone before continuing.

"I need your help," he started. She blinked. Riddick never asked for help. _God damn those shades. Can't get a fucking read on him._ She nodded once, encouraging him to continue. "I'm working a kidnapping."

"You?"

"Yeah, I know," he quipped with a smirk. "Shut up." She snickered, shaking her head as she took a sip. "What the fuck are you drinking?" Evidently he didn't know the bar slang around here. "Forgive me. I don't know what an apple fizz is."

"Apple brandy and cola," she said with a smile. He nodded. "Anyway."

"Yeah. Kidnapping."

"Who?"

"Fourteen year old girl." The twitch in his cheek was a tell, she figured from her poker experience.

"No, who did it?" He sighed, lifting his sunglasses to rub his eyes. "Oh, fuck," she groaned, lowering her head. "Please tell me you're kidding," she pleaded lifting her eyes to his. His jaw clenched, and she let her eyes close. "Company," she whispered.

"It's not as complicated as it sounds."

"Like hell it's not," she snapped, shaking her head. It was her turn to sigh. "How much time?"

"I don't know." _Shit._

"Look, I've got a big thing on Saturday."

"I know," he said quickly. "You said you knew some people." She shook her head.

"They're all either in or paid." Riddick swore. No trusting anyone that was either in with Company or paid by them. "Tell me something." His eyebrow rose. "This fifteen year old girl."

"Long story," he interjected, shaking his head.

"I've got twelve hours before I'm back on." He licked his lips, thinking.

"You heard about the H-G?"

"The Hunter-Gratzner? Yeah, I heard about it," she said with a question mark on her forehead.

"Got her and a Muslim cleric out. Everyone else either died in the crash or got mauled by the natives," he explained quietly.

"I thought—"

"Company bulletin, Chi. They staged the whole thing," he said, clicking his tongue to scold her.

"Right."

"Anyway, Imam's off in New Mecca. They can't get to him without being noticed," Riddick continued. "I left the girl with him there, but he sent a message a few weeks ago saying she'd run away. Tracked her down, alright."

"Wait, three weeks?" Chikage asked quickly. "Do you know for sure they took her?" His face held his answer. "They're using her to get you," she deduced. He took a long drink of water, and she sighed, biting her lip. "Look, I—" She stopped, glancing at him quickly. His eyebrows arched. "Will you take off those god damn sunglasses already?" He only sat there, face unreadable. "Fuck." She rubbed her forehead. "I seriously can't ditch this thing on Saturday. It's big."

"I understand," he said quietly, starting to stand, but her hand darted out, grasping his shoulder to stop him.

"Help me and I'll help you," she asked quickly. He sat back down slowly,

"You're gonna have to do a lot better than 'it's important', Chi."

"Security detail. Another primary besides me, and four minors." He waited for her to continue, making no move to give the impression he agreed to the deal. "Pick up a kid, get her back to the house."

"Why not call a cab?" he asked, his voice carrying the smirk his lips denied. She glanced around the bar quickly.

"You know of Marcus Sanders?" Riddick's eyebrow rose. "Exactly."

"Hell, we're fighting the same demons here," he said slowly.

"You don't know the whole story," she insisted. She glanced around again and leaned forward, lowering her voice. "When Marcus was in, he ran across some documents that directly implicated Company in the instigation of the nuclear wars on K-23, but they found out about it before he could get back to them and copy them to get them to the Intergalactic Council. He heard they found out and skipped. Problem was, the IGC wouldn't act without proof, and couldn't get a warrant for the records Company listed as classified without probable cause, and Marcus' word wasn't enough."

"So that's why he set up shop here, huh?"

"And that's why I'm detailing for him," she finished, leaning back again. He nodded, mulling the information over. "If they'll use a fifteen year old girl to get to you, they'll definitely use a six year old girl to get to him."

"You said two primaries and four minors, right?" Riddick asked. "How's the location?"

"Wide open," she answered with a sigh.

"Who's the other primary?" _Shit. I knew he'd ask that. _

"David Thaler."

"Fuck." She cringed. "Any way—"

"No, Riddick," she said, shaking her head slightly, a small smirk playing on her lips. "It's been twenty years since that happened."

"Think he can get over it?" A smirk now touched Riddick's lips, but her smile fell.

"For Amy?" Her eyes met his. "I'd bet my life savings he would."

A/N: Apple fizz came from my own mind. I'm willing to bet there's no such thing as apple brandy, but this is the future, and I'm sure there's not a single bar in the world that would equate 'apple fizz' with brandy and cola, so don't blame me if you try and get a weird look. Tee hee…


	3. Chapter 3

Lifeline

Chapter 3

_She hasn't changed a bit. _Riddick watched Chikage walk away from the table, her black trench coat trailing slightly behind her. _Shit, if Dave's in on this thing we could have some problems. _His jaw tightened, and he reached into his pocket, pulling out a scrap of paper with an address written on it. _Chances are, she'll double back a few times in case someone's following._ He stood, nodding at the bartender as he walked to the door, glancing around the street. She was walking down the opposite sidewalk, heading away from the address written on his paper, and he smirked. _Predictable.__ Smart, but predictable. _He shook his head, and started away from her.

_What could Company possibly have on him that's good enough to kidnap a fourteen year old and hold her until he shows? And what the fuck would make them think he of all people would come after her? _She sighed, shrugging the collar of her coat further up her neck as a gust of biting wind kicked up the dirt in the street. _Granted, they pinned him for twenty-something murders in that whole fiasco, but they couldn't have fabricated enough proof to nail him for it. _She shivered. _Didn't even bother questioning the rest of us._She shook her head, trying to keep the thoughts of that incident out of her mind. _Didn't question us because we weren't there, I guess. _Her steps slowed, and she glanced over a shoulder before turning down a street.

Slam had changed him, Chikage knew. She'd run into him once before, after he'd broken out of Butcher Bay. Now, she was surprised, actually, that he'd come to her of all people for help. She'd refused to help the last time he'd asked. And though this was obviously more pressing than finding a hideout until the law was off his back after that slam break, his trust in her still boggled her. She'd figured the last time was just that – the last time he'd come to her. A touch of a smile played on her lips.

_Guess loyalty still runs strong, even in someone like him. _She shook her head, turning down another street. _But still. The important question here is why he cares about this kid. He kept my ass out of some deep shit way back when, and he's not hovering over me to make sure Company doesn't get to me like they did her. _Her brows furrowed. _Couldn't be his kid.__ This is Riddick. He's not that careless, even in the heat of the moment. _Riddick hadn't had to worry about that with her. Female soldiers were all sterilized before basic training, no exceptions. Company wouldn't and couldn't afford to take the chance on even one soldier being out of commission or compromised for something like that. Riddick was like every other soldier still, watching out for anything that might hold him back from survival in _any_ situation. Chikage slipped into an alleyway, peering out from a dark shadow to watch the empty streets for a while.

_So if she's not his kid, why is he so willing to risk himself for her? He's not a soldier anymore, and I doubt he's working detail for anyone. Even if he was, tracking down a kidnapping wouldn't fall under him. _She sighed, scratching her forehead. _And he's got too good of a poker face for me to get a read off him, even without those damn sunglasses. _

The streets were still empty, not even a passing car in the fifteen minutes she'd been standing there. Her pager buzzed. 0-0-0. After another sweeping glance, she emerged from the alley and resumed walking.

_Marcus is **not** going to be happy if I bail to help Riddick. The weeks after Amy gets here are probably going to be the hairiest. _Her jaw clenched. _But I told Riddick I'd help him if he helped me, and if anyone would understand his situation, Marcus would, especially after this thing with Amy. _Her apartment building came into view, and she turned into the alleyway alongside it, slipping in the back door. She moved up the stairs silently, eyes constantly moving. Finally, she reached her floor and glanced through the glass in the stairwell door before pushing it open. She jammed her key in the lock and paused, listening. Instantly, her gun was drawn, pointing into the small, dark nook a few doors down the hallway. Nothing. Her eyebrow rose as the hammer pulled back with a click, and a body emerged from the shadow.

"Shit," she muttered, shaking her head as she uncocked the gun, replacing it in her holster.

"Thought I fooled you there for a minute," Riddick said, the smirk remaining.

"Shouldn't sneak up on people like that," she retorted, turning the key and kicking the door open, holding with a foot as Riddick entered. The glow from the computer monitors was all that lit the room, and she didn't bother to flick the light on as she sat.

"Nice place you got here," Riddick commented quietly. The small studio apartment was empty except for her computer desk and a couch. Even the kitchen counters were bare, save a toaster.

"It suits the purpose," she answered. His eyebrow rose. "Make yourself at home," she added, watching him until he lowered himself onto her couch. She felt his eyes on her as she watched the monitors for a while, eyes shifting over the different camera angles until she was satisfied enough to turn back to him. "How did you find it?"

"I have my ways."

"So this girl…"

"Chikage, don't," he said wearily. Her eyebrow rose.

"Do you know where they're holding her?" He nodded. "Where?"

"Remember that old base on Kygon 12?" She stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Abandoned, so they say. The medical facility."

"How do you know?"

"Did some digging," he said with a shrug.

"You don't know how to hack, Riddick," she said with a smirk.

"I said I didn't like to, not that I couldn't," he corrected. She shrugged. "I don't know if she's still alive, and I don't know what shape she's in, but I can't leave it alone."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, Riddick, but you're not exactly the type to get involved in this kind of shit for a fourteen year old girl."

"And you're not the type to get involved in working security for a Company target for a six year old girl," he retorted.

"You're not getting paid." Riddick paused, eyeing her. "Look, for one thing, we're different, Riddick," she said gently, fingers fidgeting in her lap. "Marcus is paying me to work detail, yes. I'm volunteering for getting Amy out." Riddick's eyebrow rose. "The deal goes down on Dave's shift, but I'm going along to make sure everything happens as planned."

"You don't trust Dave." Riddick's words made her pause and glance at him.

"That's beside the point," she said quietly.

"Like hell—"

"Look, Riddick, he's a good bodyguard," she interjected, her voice raising slightly. "I might not like the guy, but he's good at what he does."

"Is that why you trusted me?" Her eyebrow rose. "Because I was good at what I did?" She shook her head, tearing her eyes from him. "Or did you trust me at all?" No answer.

"I can't promise I can help you, but I'll try, okay?" she asked quietly, glancing up at him when he didn't answer. He looked tired, reclined on her couch, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The weeks after Amy gets here are the most dangerous, and you know that as well as I do. But if anyone understands why you need my help it's Marcus." Riddick sighed.

"You're going to tell him," he guessed.

"How else am I going to convince him to let me leave as soon as I get his daughter safe before the shit hits the fan?" His eyes focused on her, and a shiver ran down her spine. "As soon as they figure out his family is finally coming together, they'll be all over it, Riddick. I was hired to keep them away." He nodded, standing.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time," he said slowly, moving toward the door. She kicked a leg out, holding it up in front of him as he tried to pass.

"Is it even worth a try to you, Riddick?" she asked. He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You can't do this on your own." He shrugged. "Give me a chance to get the green light from Marcus to help you and I will." He blinked. "I promise." A small nod. "Now sit." He smirked, the expression slowly turning into a grin to match hers before he returned to the couch. "How are you otherwise?" He shrugged, staring at her computer monitors for a moment.

"You got a good gig going here," he commented. She nodded, turning back to the monitor.

"I just hope it's enough." He grunted his response. The room fell into an uneasy silence as they both just sat there for a while, neither even moving much.

"What time tomorrow?" His sudden question made her jump, his smirk inducing the urge to whack him, but she refrained.

"We leave at 2330," she answered, face serious again. He nodded.

"What's the plan?" She shifted in her chair, pulling up a map on one of her computer screens. Riddick stood from the couch, leaning over her shoulder to take in the layout.

"We've got snipers here and here," she said pointing to two buildings. "One on the second floor, the other on the roof." He nodded. "Transport lands at midnight, we pull up and board, bringing her out to the car, and then we leave. Snipers come in the next day to work security at Marcus' place." Riddick nodded again.

"How's the car?"

"Solid. Bullet proof, EMP resistant, and we'll do a beacon sweep before we leave," she answered. He seemed impressed.

"All this for a six year old girl, huh?"

"Dealing with Company?" she asked, glancing up at him. She pulled off his sunglasses before he could stop her, but his eyes were closed. "Yeah." He nodded, turning away from her. "Riddick?" He shook his head, going to her window and standing there, just staring out at the city. Her chair creaked as she stood, closing the distance between them to stand next to him, his head turning away from her. One of her hands wound around his elbow, the other reaching around to grasp his chin, urging his face back to her, his eyes closed again. "Look at me," she whispered, watching the play of his muscles as his jaw clenched. She blinked as he obeyed, her head dropping as her hand cupped his cheek. He sighed. He'd expected surprise or even fear, but not disappointment.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, watching her head rise. She stared up at him, eyes searching silver.

"They shined you."

"No, I had it done," he answered slowly. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, their eyes locked on each other.

"And you're ashamed of that," she surmised quietly. He only gazed back at her, an eyebrow twitching downward. She shook her head slightly, her eyes shifting down to his lips for a moment before refocusing on his eyes. He pulled out of her grasp, turning his back to her as her arms crossed over her chest.

"Look, I, uh…" he trailed off, still facing away from her. "I'm probably pressing my luck here, but I don't have a place to stay."

"Stay here," she suggested quietly. He nodded, glancing at the couch. "It pulls out if you want a full sized bed." He shrugged. "I usually sleep at the desk anyway." He didn't reply, so she rubbed her forehead. "Bathroom's through that door if you want a shower or whatever."

"You tryin' to tell me something?" Her eyes shot back to him, a smile breaking on her face at the twitch in his cheek betraying his smirk. She snickered.

"Maybe, maybe not," she answered with a light laugh. He nodded. "Like I said, make yourself at home."


	4. Chapter 4

Lifeline

Chapter 4

Chikage wiped the fog from the mirror, staring at her reflection for a moment, trying to imagine what she'd look like with shined eyes. She shook her head, reaching for her toothbrush as her thoughts returned to tonight's mission. Marcus was sure to be a nervous wreck the minute she got to the club, and bringing Riddick along probably wasn't going to be very calming, even though he was there to help. She thought of ways to break it to him as she pulled her hair back, braiding her pony tail into a long rope down to her waist before tying it off. Her closet door slid open, and she selected a pair of black, military-style cargos and a black long-sleeve shirt, dressing before she opened the bathroom door.

Riddick was still passed out on her couch. She smirked, crouching beside him before reaching out, gasping as he caught her wrist before she touched him. His eyes opened slowly, brows furrowed, but his face relaxed quickly, his hand releasing her as he sighed.

"Bathroom's open," she said, still a little shaken. _What the fuck was I thinking? _she chided herself. _Man's spent most of his life in prison and you expect to be able to wake him gently like that? Dumbass. _She smirked, wriggling her holster into place as he sat up, yawning. "Breakfast?" He mumbled something, standing and shuffling into the bathroom, kicking the door closed behind him. The shower turned on as she sliced into a bagel, cutting it in half and popping it into the toaster, prying the fridge open with a boot. She leaned back against the counter as she smattered the bagel with cream cheese, staying there as she ate. Riddick emerged a moment later, a towel wrapped around his waist. She watched from the corner of her eye as he picked up a knapsack, walking back into the bathroom and coming out a few minutes later, wearing pants similar to hers and a black tee shirt. Her eyebrow rose. _Some things never change, _she thought with a smirk. _Once a soldier, always a soldier._She popped the last bit of her bagel into her mouth and watched him walk toward her.

"You said something about breakfast," he said quietly. She nodded, still chewing. His eyebrow rose. "Make myself at home, right?" A small shrug. He opened cabinets, rummaging around in a couple, and she watched him with a small smile as he worked his way from the far end toward her, knowing she was standing right in front of the cabinet holding what he wanted. He paused as his search led to her, standing toe to toe with her for a moment before reaching over her shoulder, a small smirk playing on his lips as her eyebrow rose. He glanced up at the cabinet he'd opened and smiled, looking back down at her. She heard the wrapper crinkle and laughed, despite the discomfort of his close proximity. "Your hair's longer," he noted, still standing over her as he ripped the package over.

"Seems to happen to most people," she said with a shrug, shifting her weight to her other foot. He cocked his head to the side, breaking off a piece of Pop Tart and lifting it to his mouth.

"Something bothering you?" he asked through masticated pastry.

"You've always been good at pushing people's buttons," she said, eyes narrowing. He smiled. "Personal bubble." Brows arched. "Invasion." He snickered, backing away from her as she popped her neck. "Look, I've got to go pick up Marcus." Riddick nodded. "Be at the club at seven. I'll tell the bouncer you're with me."

"That a smart thing to do?" Riddick asked, all business again. She shrugged.

"Just means he knows you're there for a reason and won't make his job harder," she answered. "Don't sit at my table. I'll find you when the time's right." He nodded. "Lock my door," she added, shrugging her trench coat over her shoulders. He grinned. "I mean it, Riddick," she warned. "Lock my fucking door."

"You got a deadbolt?" he asked. She nodded, already pulling the key from its ring. She tossed it to him, and he caught it in one hand, turning it over in his fingers before dropping it in a pocket to return to his breakfast. She pulled the door open. "Be careful," he said quietly. She couldn't help but pause and look back at him, his face intense. She nodded, and closed the door behind her.

---

The ride from the house to the club was silent, Chikage knowing Marcus was nervous as hell, and Marcus knowing Chikage had something to tell him in private. Neither completely trusted the car. Not until it was swept in a few hours. She pulled into the back lot, got out, scanned the area, and opened his door, nodding him out of the car. He walked to the back door, bodyguard in tow, and entered. Usually she'd just head on out to the main floor, but she followed him into the office, occupying the seat opposite his desk as he lowered himself into his chair, the leather squeaking. He lit a cigar and met her eyes.

"Talk," he said quietly. She sighed, sinking further into her chair as she rubbed her forehead. "Must be good," he commented, smirking at her movements.

"How would you feel about a third primary tonight?" she asked slowly.

"Now, Chikage, that question doesn't even deserve an answer," he reproved with a smile. "If you think we need one more…"

"I do, Marcus," she said quickly. "But Dave's not going to like it." His eyebrow rose.

"Dave doesn't have the authority to not like it," Marcus said slowly, his smile falling, Chikage's smile taking over for him. "If you think we need one more, we need one more." Her smile disappeared.

"That's not what I mean, Marcus." He frowned. "He won't like who."

"Explain." She sighed. "Who, Chikage?"

"Riddick." Marcus choked on his cigar. "Exactly."

"Chikage…" he warned. Her eyes closed.

"I trust him, Marcus."

"What's the deal, then?" Her eyebrow rose, eyes flashing angrily.

"What do you mean?"

"What does he get in return?" She sighed. "Riddick doesn't do favors, Chikage. We both know that. He's a convict. A murderer. If you trust him enough to let him come along, fine. But I want to know what he has on you in return."

"He doesn't have anything on me, Marcus," she insisted, leaning forward. "He came to me and asked a favor." It was out before she could stop it, and she paused, watching him lean back in his chair.

"Let's hear it." She sighed.

"He's working a kidnapping and needs help."

"Riddick's working a kidnapping?" Marcus asked, sounding as surprised as she was when she heard.

"Yeah."

"So what are you telling me, Chikage?" He already knew the answer.

"Look, there's more to the story than you think," she said quickly, before he could decide he wasn't going to allow her to go.

"Then tell me, and don't waste my fucking time!" Marcus exploded, pounding a fist on the table. Her eyes narrowed, but she quickly got herself in check.

"Three people survived the crash of the Hunter-Gratzner," she started.

"No one survived that crash," he interjected.

"And where did you hear that?" He blinked. "Exactly. Company says no one survived that crash. Riddick got a girl and a priest out. The priest is in New Mecca, safe. The girl, well…" she trailed off, rubbing her eyes. "Company got her and is holding her to get to Riddick."

"So give them Riddick," Marcus said slowly, suddenly looking tired. Her eyes focused on him, and he swallowed visibly.

"You don't mean that, Marcus." He nodded. "He knows where they're holding her, and it's possible. He's willing to help you if you let me help him." Marcus drew in a sharp breath, holding it before letting it out in a sigh.

"Who is she?"  
"I don't know yet," Chikage admitted, watching Marcus cast her a glare. "But I do know that if Riddick is willing to try to get her out, she needs all the help she can get, and I'm willing to give her my help." Marcus set his cigar in his ashtray and ran a hand through his hair. She glanced over his head at the clock, but he didn't notice.

"What's with Dave?" Marcus asked. She couldn't help but laugh, though both knew the answer wouldn't be a humorous story.

"Dave, Riddick, and I were all in the Company black-ops together." Marcus' eyebrows rose. "Dave and I got honorable discharges once our time was up."

"They tag you?"

"Yeah, but we had them removed a few years after we got out. They come looking for me and they're going to meet a very angry, bitter, old man named Pedro." Marcus nodded. If Company had still had tag locators on them, he'd be in a world of trouble. "Anyway, Dave and I were on sniper detail for a sweep mission. Riddick was on the strike team. Neither of us saw what happened, but Company _says_ Riddick snapped and took out the whole team along with the targets." Marcus' eyes met hers.

"And what do you think?" She paused, wondering the same thing herself, but for the time being, she was trying to get Marcus to let her help Riddick.

"I think Riddick is the only one that survived and Company set him up because they could."

"Why?"

"I don't know, Marcus. But I know Riddick." She paused for emphasis. "And I trust him." Marcus nodded slowly, and she could see him thinking.

"And Dave?"

"Dave has always seen Riddick as competition." Marcus nodded. "I think he agrees with Company just because he doesn't like the guy."

"This is short notice, Chikage."

"I know, Marcus, and I'm sorry," she said with a sigh. "But Riddick came to me last night. It's the first I'd heard of it and I wanted to get as much of the story as I could before I decided to come to you." Marcus smiled weakly.

"Talk to Dave," he said quietly. She nodded, and started to stand. "No, actually, bring Dave in here. We'll both talk to him." She smiled, and was gone.

---

"What's up, boss?" Dave asked, lowering himself into the chair still warm from Chikage's occupation. She opted to sit on the corner of Marcus' desk, lighting a cigarette.

"We have a third tonight, David," Marcus said, taking on the all-business tone he only lost around Chikage. Dave's eyebrow rose.

"Okay…?"

"You need to listen before you explode," Marcus said quietly, glancing at Chikage.

"Dave," she started, flicking her ashes into Marcus' ashtray, "What was the first thing they told us back in ops before every mission."

"Emotions out, focus on," he said slowly. She nodded.

"Remember that," she said, her eyes holding his. "An old friend is in town. He needs me to do him a favor, and in return, he's going to help us." Dave shook his head, a wild grin twisting his lips as he laughed bitterly. "He's got assets none of us have," she added.

"So Riddick came crawling back with his tail between his legs, huh?" Dave snickered. Chikage's expression told him she wasn't amused, and his jovial mood dropped quickly. "You can't be serious, Chi." Her eyebrow rose. "Marcus, the man wiped out an entire unit on a mission. He's a fucking traitor." Dave's attention turned back to Chikage. "You can't seriously be considering bringing him along." She didn't answer. "He can't be trusted."

"I don't agree with you David," Marcus said quietly.

"He turned on his team and killed them, Marcus," Dave insisted, standing. "He killed his own crew, and you expect me to trust my guys in his hands? You're off your rocker."

"Company lied, Dave," Chikage said quietly.

"And I suppose you've got the proof," he snapped back. She stared at him coldly.

"I don't need proof." He sighed. "But you can ask him yourself if you want to," she added with a small shrug. Marcus' head snapped over to her, and she heard Dave's breath catch in his throat.

"He's here?" Marcus asked. She glanced at the clock. "At the club?" Chikage only cocked her head to the side, waiting. "Bring him in," Marcus commanded after a beat. She nodded, and moved toward the door. Dave's hand shot out, grasping her arm to spin her around to face him.

"You better know what you're doing, little girl," he growled.

"We can always leave you behind," Marcus spat, glaring at Dave's hand on Chikage. She smirked, letting it fall into a hateful frown as she ripped her arm from his grip. The door swung closed behind her. Dave stood, pacing Marcus' office.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," Dave said quietly, glancing at Marcus through a haze of cigar smoke.

"I trust Chikage," Marcus replied simply.

"And me?"

"It's not about you." They both looked toward the doorway, now occupied by Chikage, a large shadow behind her. She stood there for a moment, staring Dave down before glancing behind her. "Marcus, meet Richard Riddick."


	5. Chapter 5

Lifeline

Chapter 5

Chikage moved across the room silently, leaving Riddick standing in the doorway to Marcus' office, his figure occupying the whole space. Dave stared up at him, a combination of fear and loathing clouding his face. Chikage made sure to kick his knee as she crossed her legs, sitting once again on the corner of the large desk.

"Marcus," Riddick said, taking a few steps forward to shake the hand Marcus offered, only nodded. "Dave." Dave's scowl deepened. Riddick glanced at Chikage, who turned to look at Marcus.

"I assume Chikage's already told you the situation?" Marcus asked, picking his cigar up again to chew on it thoughtfully.

"She has," Riddick answered slowly, taking the seat next to Dave.

"David here," Marcus continued, nodding toward the male bodyguard, "seems to think we might have a problem with you."

"Really," Riddick remarked, letting a smile slide across his lips. "And why is that, Dave?"

"You know why," Dave said quietly, averting the three pairs of eyes now focused on him.

"Dave's still hung up on the strike fiasco," Chikage said with a shrug. Riddick glanced up at her quickly, feigning surprise, then turned his attention back to Marcus with a sigh.

"Yeah, I figured that would come up eventually," he said, voice holding an air of defeat.

"And?" Marcus pressed. Riddick turned his gaze toward Marcus, his sunglasses hiding his eyes now taking in Chikage, making herself comfortable on the club owner's desk. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was sleeping with him. Then again, he didn't know. Riddick remained silent. "If what David says is true, I want you nowhere near my club or this operation," Marcus pressed.

"I don't talk about the past," Riddick said simply.

"You'll have to do much better than that," came Marcus' quick response.

"David and Chikage were both on the sniper team. Neither saw what happened," he began, glaring through his shades at Dave's spiteful snicker. "And the fact that Chi isn't scared of me and Dave is doesn't surprise me at all." Chikage hid her smile, but only barely. "Company sent us in to clean the place out. Drug dealers and identity changers took the place over once Company moved out. Someone flipped and told them we were coming, so they were ready." Chikage watched Riddick's face change as he told the story. "Power was cut before we got there. I knew something was up, but they sent us in anyway. Five guys dropped before we knew what happened." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I was the only one that made it out alive."

"Convenient," Dave spat.

"Fuck you," Riddick returned.

"Enough," Marcus interjected. "Why did you take the blame?"

"Company needed someone to blame. The IGC wasn't going to accept a simple 'we didn't know they knew' answer, so someone had to take the fall. Why not blame the one person that made it out?" Riddick answered.

"And you didn't fight it?"

"I couldn't." Riddick shook his head, "It was my word against theirs. Who's the IGC going to believe? A soldier or Company?" Marcus nodded ponderingly. "They fabricated the evidence to back it up."

"And what do we give you in return?" Marcus asked, risking a glance at Dave.

"Her," Riddick answered, keeping his eyes on Marcus as he tilted his head toward Chikage. "I need her help for something of my own." Dave sputtered, but couldn't form words. Marcus nodded, standing to pace behind his chair.

"She told me," he said quietly. He grabbed up his cigar on the way by and smoked slowly, finally stopping to stand behind his chair, arms resting on its back. "How long will you need her services?" Chikage cringed. _That just sounds wrong,_ she thought.

"I don't know for sure," Riddick said, nodding to convince him. Marcus nodded, resuming his pacing.

"You do this with us tonight, stay for three days after, and she'll accompany you on your task," Marcus said.

"Marcus—" Dave stood, but stopped his words at the stare Marcus turned on him.

"It can't wait that long," Riddick insisted quickly, glancing at Dave. Marcus turned the stare on Riddick.

"I sympathize with you, Riddick, I do. But a fourteen year old girl whose relationship to you is a mystery to me doesn't override the safety of my daughter," he said firmly. Riddick sighed, shaking his head.

"Riddick." He glanced at Chikage, who quirked an eyebrow.

"Three days, Marcus," Riddick agreed. "No more."

"And no less," Marcus insisted. Riddick nodded, and Marcus glanced to Chikage, then back to Riddick. She stood, clasping a hand on Riddick's shoulder as she walked behind him. He stood, pausing for a moment before following her out the door.

---

The ride to the space port was silent. Chikage drove slowly, sticking to the smaller roads leading to the hangar. Dave brooded in the back seat, behind Riddick, and she glanced up at him to glare in the rear view mirror every now and again. Marcus stared out his window, chewing on his bottom lip. She cut the lights before pulling onto the tarmac, and put the car in park, nodding at Riddick. Dave moved toward his door latch, but she shook her head, and he stopped, watching Riddick stand. His sunglasses were removed, tucked in a pocket as he glanced around the airstrip, finally taking a step and shutting the door, her signal it was safe. She nodded at Dave in the mirror and got out as well. Dave remained in the car with Marcus.

Riddick watched Chikage walk around the car toward him quickly, taking his arm as they walked toward the landing strip, stopping to wait. She glanced at her watch. Three minutes.

"We alone?" she asked quietly.

"You mean besides the snipers?" She nodded. "No." Her breath left her in a sigh.

"Where?"

"End of the air strip. Black truck." She nodded. "One on either side of the gate we drove past."

"The entrance to the port?" He nodded, and she swore under her breath. "So what's the plan now?"

"Get the kid back to the car," he said, watching a small transport taxi toward them. "Gun it, and run them over." She nodded.

"Armed?"

"To the teeth," he answered.

"Fuck."

"You said the car was sturdy," he hissed quickly.

"It is," she said, squeezing his arm to signal they should start walking toward the craft. "It's the walk back to the car that worries me." He snickered, and she glanced at him. The hatch to the craft lowered, and they walked up into the bowels of the ship.

"Chikage?" She nodded.

"Patrick, we got company," she warned. The man grimaced, and glanced at Riddick. "He's with me. Where's Amy?"

"Come with me," he said with a nod. They followed him up to the second level, and Riddick smiled at the small girl talking with the pilot.

"Hi!" she exclaimed brightly, wiggling her fingers. Chikage smiled, crouching down before the girl.

"Amy, listen to me, sweetheart." The girl nodded. "Your daddy's waiting in the car for us, but we have to hurry, okay?"

"The bad men are here too?" she asked, scowling.

"Yes, sweetie, they are, but Rick and I are here to keep you safe, okay?" Riddick nodded, watching the girl eye him before nodding to Chikage finally. Chikage picked her up, nodding at Riddick as she stood. "You drive," she said quickly, tossing him the keys. He turned, leading the way back down to the tarmac. "Thanks, Pat," Chikage said, squeezing the man's arm as she passed.

"Sure thing, Chi. Be safe." She nodded, pausing in a nook as Riddick surveyed the airstrip.

"Riddick?" He shook his head, and she swore. "How close?"

"Five hundred meters." She heard the engine then. "Run." She nodded, darting down the ramp toward the car. Riddick's boots pounded behind her, and Amy clung to her shoulders with wide eyes. She saw her door kicked open by Marcus, before he reached over the driver's seat to fling Riddick's door open as well. Her boots slipped as she tried to stop, skidding across the gravel kicked up on the asphalt by the wind, and Riddick slammed into her back. "In," he hissed, covering them both as she ducked into the car just as a shot rang out. Her door shut, and Riddick hurried around to the other side, sliding into the seat as a bullet ricocheted off the windshield. The engine roared to life, and tires squealed as he spun out, whipping the car around toward the gate. Amy yelped, and Chikage shushed her, sliding the girl off her lap and into the space between her feet, sheltered by the dashboard. "You okay?" Riddick asked, glancing at Chikage, then down at Amy.

"Yeah," Chikage replied after running her hands over herself. Both would have known if the girl was harmed. "You?"

"Fine," Riddick said. Chikage's eyebrow rose, her eyes flitting over him quickly, focusing on his face for a moment before turning back to the road ahead. Two men jumped out of the shadows in front of them, and Riddick stomped on the gas, tires squealing again as the car fishtailed. Sparks flew as bullets bounced. "Dave?"

"Got it." He rolled down his window enough to get his arm out and fired off a couple of shots, taking out the gunman Riddick didn't plow into. A pair of headlights danced behind them, Riddick glancing behind them every now and then after making a sharp turn.

"Will this car fit down that alley?" Riddick asked, nodding to a small entrance a few blocks down the street.

"Probably not," Chikage said slowly, eyes widening as he turned. The side view mirrors tore off with a crunch, the glass shattering, and Riddick threw the car in park, turning off the lights quickly as he turned in his seat to stare out the back window. The truck slowed and passed, and Marcus let out a sigh. Tires screeched. "Oh, fuck." Two motorcycle engines sputtered and came alive, and Riddick shifted into overdrive, leaving the lights off. The metal scraped across the brick on either side of the car, sending sparks flying, and two crotch rockets appeared behind them, gaining quickly. "Faster," she whispered. Riddick glanced up in the rear view mirror, seeing the lights grow closer, and stared, letting the buildings guide the car as he slowed. Chikage gasped as he slammed on the brakes, and the cycles crashed into them, sending the drivers flying over the car and onto the pavement in front of them. She glanced at Riddick, his chest heaving, nostrils flaring. He reached for the skylight and she whipped her arm out, grabbing his arm. "No."

"You leave them there and they'll be back," Riddick snapped, keeping his voice low. Amy whimpered from the floorboards.

"Go, Riddick," Marcus said, nodding at Chikage. "Quickly. We don't know if there's more." He nodded, hoisting himself up through the skylight and sliding down the windshield and hood, walking quickly toward the men groaning as they tried to pick themselves up. A shiv glinted in the darkness. Marcus didn't watch as Riddick went to work, two throats slashed in the blink of an eye. He returned as quickly as he was gone, backing the car out of the alley after wiping his hands on his shirt. He slowed when they passed the truck, stopping to get out and check. He opened the truck door, pulling a pistol out of the waistband of the back of his pants and fired once, then shot out the tires before returning to the car, driving slowly back to Marcus' house. She told him the gate code and glanced back to Marcus.

"I'll change it tomorrow," she said quietly. He only nodded. The garage door closed behind them, and three doors opened. Chikage helped Amy out of the car, handing her over to Marcus before looking back to the driver's seat. "Riddick?" He didn't respond, still clutching the steering wheel tightly. She sighed. "Come in when you're ready. Same code." No response. She nodded, and shut the door, entering a code on the keypad next to the door, casting him another worried glance before entering.


	6. Chapter 6

Lifeline

Chapter 6

He watched her from the hallway, not sure whether she'd heard him come through the door or not. She leaned against the kitchen counter, staring into a steaming mug, lost in thought. The mug rose, steam curling in the air as she took a sip, her eyes lingering in a blink for just a moment. He watched as the muscles in her throat contracted and relaxed as she swallowed.

"You plannin' on letting me have a look at that?" she asked quietly, lifting her eyes to his face. He glanced down at himself, noting the dark stain beginning to dry on the side of his shirt. A's not good." He shrugged, his head following her as she walked away from him. "Come here," she commanded, not turning back to him. He heaved a sigh and followed her down the hallway and into a bathroom. "Sit," she said, pointing to the bathtub before going back to rummaging through a small kit. He stepped into the tub, sitting on the inside edge after pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it in the bottom of the shower. She set the kit next to her on the opposite edge of the tub, sitting across from him. "Not that bad my ass," she muttered. He laughed, but it turned into a growl as she dug a pair of forceps into the wound, searchin/P> 

"It's still in there," she said, tilting her head, "and that's not good." He shrugged, his head following her as she walked away from him. "Come here," she commanded, not turning back to him. He heaved a sigh and followed her down the hallway and into a bathroom. "Sit," she said, pointing to the bathtub before going back to rummaging through a small kit. He stepped into the tub, sitting on the inside edge after pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it in the bottom of the shower. She set the kit next to her on the opposite edge of the tub, sitting across from him. "Not that bad my ass," she muttered. He laughed, but it turned into a growl as she dug a pair of forceps into the wound, searching out the bullet. A steady stream of blood ran down his side. "Lucky you've got abs of granite," she said with a chuckle. He wasn't laughing. She turned the faucet onto a slow stream of hot water, rinsing the bullet off, her brows furrowing.

"What?" he asked, still grimacing. She shook her head, dropping the bullet into a tray and untying his boots, pulling them from his feet and setting them on the floor behind her. His socks quickly followed. His head fell back against the tile as she cleaned the wound, gently mopping up the blood with an alcohol wipe. Silver eyes followed her fingers as she placed a few stitches to hold the injury closed, rubbed coagulation gel over it, and taped a piece of gauze over it. His eyebrow rose as she handed him two pills.

"Just take them," she said, rolling her eyes as she held out her mug of tea. He complied, staring at her sideways as he did. "One of ours," she said with a small shrug.

"What?"

"You just took an antidote. You'll feel a little woozy for a few hours, but you'll be fine."

"An antidote?" She nodded, standing. His hand shot out, grabbing her around the knee before she moved away from him. "Talk." Heavy sigh.

"One of our snipers. I'll find out who and take care of it."

"And I needed an antidote why?" She gave him a single shouldered shrug.

"Insurance." He shook his head, glancing down at her medical work. "Lucky it didn't start already, actually." He glared up at her, but she didn't divulge any more. "I can find you some more clothes," she added quietly. He nodded, standing shakily. She reached out, grasping his hand to help him over the side of the tub, and led him down another hallway to a darkened room. After calling up the lights to barely dim, she helped him to the bed, watching him sit for a moment before deciding he wouldn't fall over while she rummaged through the extra closet. She emerged a few seconds later, watching him stare with wide eyes at the carpet, and stifled a laugh. "Here," she said, waiting until his eyes found her before holding out a pair of sweats and a beater. He blinked, and she couldn't help but laugh. She knew first hand what the drug and antidote did to a person.

"What the fuck did you give me?" he growled, grudgingly letting her pull him to his feet.

"I told you, it was an antidote. That with the drug we lace our sniper ammo with pack a mean punch." He nodded, not really caring anymore at this point. She wrestled the beater over his head, avoiding the gauze as she pulled it down over him, then went to work on his pants. He wobbled a little, his hands grasping her shoulders firmly, and she smiled, pushing the cargos over his hips. "What do you say we forget about the sweats, huh?" He nodded again, more slowly this time, and she pulled the pants from his ankles so he wouldn't trip. "Sorry about this," she added with a wry smirk. He shrugged, a hand lingering on her back for support as she pulled back the sheets, watching him slide onto the bed. A gravelly groan escaped him as he burrowed deeper under the covers, shifting every now and again to get comfortable. She smiled, taking the seat next to the bed, facing the door.

---

"Hey Chi?" Dave stuck his head in the door, smiling as he pushed it further to enter. She was conked out in the chair, snoring softly. His eyes darkened as they fell on the body lying in the bed next to her, but he shook his head, reaching out to wake the woman instead of concentrating on Riddick. Her eyes opened after she started, and she glanced at Riddick quickly before returning her attention to Dave. "What happened?" She sighed, stifling a groan as she stood.

"We gotta talk to our snipers, Dave." His eyebrow rose. "Antidote knocked him on his ass," she added with a smile.

"They do that, don't they?" She nodded with a wince, remembering. "How bad is it?" A sharp inhale, and she shrugged.

"Not too bad, I guess. Had to pull the bullet out but it didn't do any major damage." He nodded. "I'm thinking it was probably Yanni. He was the furthest out. More time for it to slow down." Another thoughtful nod. "Didn't hit anything major. He'll be fine in a couple days."

"So what about Yanni?"

"Talk to him first," she answered through a monstrous yawn. Riddick stirred, but didn't wake. He'd be pissed when he did. "Then we'll see." Dave nodded.

"Marcus wants to see you." She nodded, and he glared as she glanced at Riddick again for a moment before following him through the door.

---

"So you think it was Yanni." Marcus posed it as a statement, instead of a question. Chikage shrugged.

"Can't be sure until I talk to him," she answered.

"Do that." Marcus returned to staring out the window.

"Are you planning on staying here for a while?" she asked, lighting a cigarette as she leaned back on his couch. He nodded. "James taking care of the club?" Another nod, and she mirrored it. "I'll check on him a little later."

"Is he going to be alright?" Marcus asked slowly, turning his gaze back to Chikage. She made a face as though the question was ridiculous and then shrugged, scratching her head.

"He should be okay later today. Just has to sleep off the antidote and then he'll be pissed, but okay." Marcus snickered. "He hates waking up and not having a clue," she added with a small smile.

"How far back do you two go?" Marcus ventured. She sighed. "Or is that too touchy of a subject?"

"Not really. It's not like you think," she added with a goofy grin. Marcus only chuckled, gnawing on his cigar. "Met at basic, screwed a few times, nothing serious," she said, playing with a boot lace. "He watched my back, caught a couple for me a few times, just like everyone else." Marcus nodded slowly. "He's a good guy, Marcus." Her eyes met his. "You should give him a chance."

"I have, Chi," he said with a touch of a smile. "And you were right, as always."

"He'd be an asset, Marc."

"I'm considering it."

"I can't promise he'll take you up on it," she added pensively, "but he might. I know he enjoys security detail and work is hard to find for a guy like him."

"It'd mean a pay cut for you and Dave though," Marcus noted with a smirk.

"I'll split my shift with him," she said with a smile. "Dave can keep his."

---

He shuffled into the kitchen, scratching the back of his neck. She sat at the kitchen table, watching him move slowly across the floor as she worked on her sandwich, noticing he'd managed to get the sweats on.

"Hungry?" she asked quietly. He nodded, stopping in the middle of the room to yawn. "Sit down. I'll fix you something." He shrugged a little, obviously still groggy, and complied. She felt his eyes on her as she made another sandwich, pouring him a cup of strong coffee, and smiled at him as she returned to the table, setting the meal down in front of him. They took turns glancing at each other as they ate, and when she'd finished, she leaned back in her chair to watch him eat slowly. "Still feeling cloudy?" He nodded, and she winced. "Sorry about that." He didn't respond. "How's it feel?" A shrug. "You might want to take it easy today." His eyes met hers. "You'll feel like shit for a while, but it'll wear off by tomorrow." His eyebrow rose.

"You know from experience?" Her wince was his answer, and he cocked his head.

"Stole the recipe from Company, actually," she explained. He couldn't help but smile as the coffee ran down his throat. "We don't use a lethal dose though," she added. His eyes met hers again, and she shrugged. "None of us knew we were experiments."

"Live round training?" She nodded. "They delay the antidote?" Another smaller nod, and he sighed. "They did give it to you though… right?"

"Wouldn't be here if they hadn't," she said, collecting their plates as she stood. He watched her walk to the sink and rinse the dishes off, eyes still following her as she returned to the table, picking up her mug.

"What's on the agenda today, boss?" he asked with a small smile. She smirked.

"You're going to rest, and I have a couple things to do at the club." She paused for a sip of coffee. "Other than that, detail here."

"How many you got?"

"Six," she said, cupping her mug in both hands. "Dave and I are in here, and then there's four roaming the grounds." Riddick nodded. "Don't know why Marcus keeps it so fucking cold in here," she commented quietly, smirking at Riddick's snort. She stared into the steam rising from her cup. "You're not going to rest, are you." Statement, not question. He only looked at her, but she noticed the tug of the smile he was trying to hide from her. "If you really want something to do, you can watch the monitors in the security room," she said with a shrug. "It's not much, but it's better than staying in bed all day."

"True," he said, letting the smile surface.

"Thanks, Riddick," she said quietly, staring into her mug again.

"For what?" Her eyes met his, and he shrugged like it was no big deal. "I'm guessing you think that bullet was for you," he said slowly. She stared at her coffee again. Suddenly it held all the answers in the world. "Have you told Marcus?"

"Not yet," she said with a slight shake of the head.

"Might want to." She nodded, looking up at him as he stood. "Take a shower, Chi," he said with a small smile. "You look like shit." She grinned at his back as he shuffled back to the spare bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

Lifeline

Chapter 7

Chikage adjusted her sunglasses, glancing in the rear view mirror as she pulled into the club's back parking lot, noting the black SUV was still following her, windows tinted too dark to get a glimpse of whoever was following her. Her eyebrow rose as she threw the car in park, flipping the safety lever on her gun as she got out of the car, thankful she'd opted for the hip holster today. Flipping that switch would have been too awkward to do had her gun been on her back again. She kept her palm resting on the gun as she walked quickly toward the SUV, reaching out to yank the handle as she drew her weapon, swearing as Yanni raised his hands slowly.

"Easy," he said slowly, glancing down at the black barrel pointed evenly at his nose, her finger poised to pull the trigger.

"Scoot over," she said quickly, nodding to the passenger seat. His expression betrayed his confusion, but he complied, watching her climb into the seat he'd warmed, gun still aimed at him. The vehicle started, and she turned to stare at him for a moment, just watching him, before holstering her gun and driving away. It took him a while to finally speak.

"Where are we going?" She only glanced at him, and he quickly shut up. He swore under his breath as she pulled up next to an abandoned building a few blocks away, knowing what was coming. He sighed as she got out of the car, waiting in the middle of the alleyway until he was beside her, glancing over him before leading the way into the building. He followed her up the stairs and through a set of doors, finally plopping in a metal chair behind a long table. She opted to sit on the corner, staring down at him. "This is an interrogation room, Chikage," he said quietly, staring at his hands folded in his lap. Her eyebrow rose.

"Do you know why you're sitting in it, Yanni?" she asked. He glanced up at her quickly before looking away. "I'm taking that as a yes," she said with a small smile. "I thought you were supposed to be a good shot, man." His eyes met hers angrily. "And knowing how good of a sniper you really are makes me wonder how you could have missed by a good three hundred meters." He sighed. "You know how interrogations work, Yanni. I ask a question, and you answer." The click of the snap securing her gun in its holster drew his attention. "Try not to lie." A quick nod. "Did you know we had another primary?"

"Yes." Her eyebrow rose.

"Did you know who it was?"

"Yes."

"Look at me, Yanni," she said gently. He followed the order with a small wince, only a twitch of the cheek. "Did you miss or hit your mark?" He swallowed, his eyes breaking from hers. "Yanni," she warned, waiting until he looked at her again before repeating the question.

"I never miss, Chikage," he answered quietly, after too long a pause. She cocked her head to the side.

"So was this your own idea, or did someone change your orders?"

"Orders are orders, Chi," he said. "You and I both know we don't question a change."

"Don't test my patience," she advised. He nodded. "Who told you to shoot Riddick?" He shook his head, glancing up at her sharply as he heard her gun slide from her hip.

"Look, Dave said he was a liability and to take a shot if things started looking like they were going bad." Her eyes narrowed, the click of the hammer pulling back making him stop to swallow. "Easy, Chi," he said slowly.

"Did Dave tell you to shoot Riddick?" Yanni paused. "Yanni, did Dave tell you specifically to shoot him or to shoot if things got questionable?" Her finger twitched as Yanni ran a hand through his dark curls. "Answer the fucking question!"

"Dave will kill me if you ask him about this," he said quickly. "I'm the only person he talked to about Riddick other than that he would be there, so if you go to him and start nosing around, he'll know it was me." Her eyebrow rose. "I'm dead either way, so ask him yourself." His eyes widened as she lowered the gun to aim at his crotch. "Okay, okay!" he stammered. "Dave told me to shoot him and make it look like an accident. He said you'd assume it was them and not us, and not to worry."

"Why?"

"Jesus Christ, I don't know." She let off a shot, barely missing him. "Okay!" He was trembling now, chest heaving, sweat beading on his forehead. "He said Riddick was only there because he wanted you to leave with him and if you left the whole compound would be in danger. He said it'd be easier to take him out than to try to talk either of you out of it and he didn't want to compromise security to let you go." Chikage nodded.

"Go on," she pressed.

"That's it," he said quickly, shaking his head. Her eyebrow rose, and he sighed.

"See, Yanni, I have this odd feeling that Riddick wasn't the target." She noted the speed with which his eyes shot up to hers. "I think Dave wanted me dead, maybe even Amy, and not Riddick." She stood, scratching the side of her head with the barrel of the gun as she paced back and forth. "Forgive me, Yanni," she said with a smile, stopping to lean on the back of a chair. "I should have posed a question a different way." His brow furled. "Who told you to shoot at your own team?"

"Dave." She nodded, resuming her pacing.

"And which team member did Dave instruct you to shoot?" He paused, as did her pacing, and she sent him a glare. "Don't make me ask again, Yanni." He sighed, dropping his head into his hands, elbows resting on the table.

"He said to hit Riddick first, then you if I had a shot." She nodded, stifling a laugh as he jumped at the sound of her pulling a chair out.

"And Amy?"

"God, Chi," Yanni gasped, shaking his head. "You know I wouldn't have done this if Dave didn't scare the piss outta me."

"Answer, Yanni." He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes.

"Dave was going to kill Marcus and hand Amy over to Company," he finally admitted.

"And your cut would be?"

"Staying alive."

---

Riddick's forehead crinkled as he stared at the monitor. Chikage had just blown through the front door, gun in hand, and was heading toward the security room. He stared at the door until it burst open, then arched an eyebrow as he glanced over her, her chest heaving.

"Give me the gun, Chi," he said gently, holding a hand out. She stared at him for a moment, and he stood. Her hand trembled as she held it out to him, and he reached out slowly to take it from her, ejecting the magazine and the round in the chamber before setting it on the tabletop next to him. "Now close the door and talk to me."

---

"Riddick, Chikage." Marcus acknowledged each of them with a nod to accompany their name as they appeared from the patio door. He watched Chikage's eyes focus on Amy playing in the pool, and his eyebrows rose.

"We have a problem," Riddick said after a moment. Marcus nodded, lowering himself into a patio chair.

"Not here, Marcus," Chikage said quickly. Marcus glanced up at her, then Riddick, who granted him no gesture of response. "Take Amy and go to the safehouse," she instructed quietly. "The one Dave _doesn't_ know about. We'll meet you there in three hours."

"This better be good."

"Do it, Marcus," Riddick urged quietly, adding a small nod. Chikage watched him mull it over for a moment.

"Take Andrew with you," she added. He nodded, jaw clenched, and called out to Amy. Wrapping a towel around her, he gathered her in his arms and quickly retired to his room. Chikage sighed and collapsed into the patio chair, throwing an arm over her forehead. "This is too thick for my taste, Riddick," she said weakly. He chuckled, whacking her legs lightly with the back of a hand to get her to move them so he could sit. He leaned forward, rubbing a hand over his head.

"Where's Dave right now?" Riddick asked.

"Back of the compound," she returned. "He won't know Marcus is leaving until he's already gone and at the safehouse." Riddick nodded. "You go on back to the security room," she said, standing. "I'll walk Marcus and Andrew out to the car and meet you back there." She didn't wait for him to protest, instead leaving before he could even agree. He shook his head, stifling a grunt as he stood. Damn thing was still sore.


	8. Chapter 8

Lifeline

Chapter 8

Dave knew something was up. Yanni was supposed to be on the roof, and was nowhere to be found. Andrew was supposed to be on the front perimeter, and Dave hadn't spotted him in the five minutes he'd been standing on the hill watching. _Fuck_. Even Julian was missing. He shook his head, finally deciding to head back to the house and find out what was up. The light was off as he slid the patio door open noiselessly, closing it behind him. He paused to let his eyes adjust to the darkness before venturing on toward Marcus' rooms to see if he'd split too. The door creaked as he pushed it open slowly, gun drawn. Four steps into the room, he heard a click and stopped, holding his hands up. The door shut behind him, and his gun was snatched from his fingers.

"What the fu—?" His sentence ended in a howl as his knee tore open, the muzzle flash glinting in the silver orbs floating behind Dave as he fell. He rolled around on the floor for a few moments, his movement halting as a pair of boots stopped just in front of him. His forehead was met with a barrel still warm as he lifted his head.

"I just have one question for you, Dave," Chikage growled. "Is Company paying you to sell Marcus out or are you just doing it out of the goodness of your heart?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he spat, wincing as he shifted positions, the pain coursing through him. "I didn't sell Marcus out." The surprised and angry expression on his face fell as Riddick clicked his tongue behind the man, but Dave didn't turn.

"My guess is, Company paid you for Amy and Marcus, but Riddick and I were just a bonus, right?" Marcus snickered. His eyes widened as she pulled back the hammer – an action completely unnecessary for a semi-automatic but she'd found it to be very convincing. "You know, I don't even need you to answer me, Dave. I've got my information. I just want to hear you admit you're a fucking snitch."

"You've completely lost your mind."

"Have I?" Her words made him glance up at her, and he instantly regretted his accusation. "I really don't think you're in much of a position to be psychoanalyzing me right now, David."

"You and Riddick both have nice prices on your heads," Dave said with a sly grin. "It's just too bad Yanni's got a slow trigger finger." Her eyebrow rose, and she glanced up at Riddick quickly, returning her eyes to her mark before he had a chance to do anything.

"Did it ever occur to you that you might not be able to pull this off?" she asked quietly. "I mean, two killers with Company bounties, plus my security crew—"

"_Your _security crew?" Dave spat. "You have no idea how easily it was to turn them, Chikage," he continued. "Turned out to be _my_ security crew." She nodded slightly, and Dave only twitched as Riddick's shiv sank home, warm blood spreading slowly across the wooden floors.

"Makin' me do your dirty work," Riddick murmured under his breath. Her eyebrow rose as she fired two shots between Dave's eyes.

"I could never deny you the pleasure," she commented. He smiled before turning to rinse his hands and shiv off. She sighed, tucking her gun into the back of her pants, staring at Dave's lifeless eyes staring into nothingness for a while before following Riddick. "You know, if Dave really did turn the crew—" Riddick shook his head, now drying his knife on his pants.

"Dave's all talk." She shook her head.

"Something just doesn't feel right about this." No sooner than she'd gotten the words out, they both paused, hearing the helicopter blades churning closer and closer. Riddick swore, and started for the garage, Chikage not far behind. She grabbed his elbow before he rounded a corner, ducking into a room and kicking the door shut. He couldn't help but whistle, and she smiled. "Practical, Riddick. Grab a couple pistols and a few pocketfuls of clips."

"We could have been in the garage by now," he said slowly, taking the gun she held out to him.

"They were already over the property with the lines lowered," she said quietly, both glancing up at the stomps emanating from the floor above. "Didn't have a chance."

"Might want to call Marcus and let him know we'll be a little late," Riddick said, hoping for comic relief but only getting a quick glare. He watched, slightly amused and slightly aroused, as she strapped loading mechanisms onto her ankles, the device springing out a new clip when activated to make reloading easier. "Now that is probably the sexiest contraption I've ever seen," he commented.

"I always wanted the chance to break them in," she quipped with a grin, wiggling her eyebrows. He chuckled. "Flash bangs?"

"Fuck no," he shot back. Her eyebrow rose. "You really want to blind me too?"

"Sorry," she said quickly. "Forgot." He shook his head, tossing her the last pre-loaded clip in the drawer. "Don't forget to count," she advised, glancing at his gun.

"How many?"

"Fourteen in each," she answered, setting her guns beside her before tucking a metal curvy box into her back pocket.

"What the fuck is that?" he demanded. She glanced up at him, smirking.

"You'll see."

"I don't like surprises, Chi," he growled.

"Check the monitor. See how many we got outside the door," she said, quickly changing the subject. He tapped a few keys to switch cameras on two of the monitors.

"None yet, but we got a whole fuckin' army coming down the stairs." She nodded.

"Give me four of your mags. You lead the way to the garage and I'll cover the back." His eyebrow rose, but she shook her head, cutting off his protest. "You drive," she added, tossing him the keys as he fished in his pockets. He handed her the clips and went to the door, glancing over his shoulder once more at the monitor before opening it. She slipped out behind him, quickly sliding on a pair of green glasses. They whirred at the touch of a button, night vision slowly fading in.

As boots thumped down the hallway, both found it hard to keep track of the number of shots they fired, the sounds of all the guns firing interfering. She finished her clip much sooner than expected, ejecting the magazine as she crouched to reload.

"Cover me!" she yelled, waiting until Riddick ducked behind a corner to continue firing at the Company army barreling down the hallways before she crouched, hands trembling as the box was set and activated. She nodded at him, now counting rounds and seconds.

Riddick didn't bother with the garage door opener, instead throwing the car into reverse and plowing through the thin metal. Riddick flinched, and the car swerved as the explosion thundered through the neighborhood, the lights at each house flickering before staying off. Riddick squinted against the light, though the windows were tinted enough to cut most of the pain. It was more of an instinctual reaction for him now. He glanced at her, watching her fall back against the seat, leaning her head back as she sighed. She turned toward him, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Surprise."

---

Riddick switched the headlights off as they pulled into the long gravel driveway, glancing at Chikage as she reached up to turn the overhead light off as well to keep it from flickering on as they exited the vehicle. He stopped before the trees cleared, pulling the car off the road. Neither shut their door all the way, just slightly ajar as they crept toward the house. Chikage's brow furled as they came upon the front entrance, the door still slightly open. She pushed it open silently, clearing the room as she went. Riddick followed behind as she stole from room to room, keeping one eye on her and one on the hallway, just in case. Her gun fell to the floor with a clatter, and she dropped to her knees. Riddick glanced over her shoulder and swore. Both Marcus and Amy were lying in a pool of blood. Chikage couldn't think of anything to do other than scream an obscenity, and Riddick reached out, grasping her elbow tightly as he hauled her to her feet.

"Nothing we can do now, Chikage," he said gently. "They went fast. Let them go, and let's get the fuck outta here." She nodded, pausing long enough to pick up the gun she'd dropped, stealing a long glance over her shoulder as Riddick pulled her out of the room.

She beat on the dashboard with all she had once they pulled out onto the road, her knuckles splitting and bleeding at the impact, but she couldn't stop, and Riddick didn't try to make her to. He only drove silently to the spaceport where he'd stashed his cruiser.


	9. Chapter 9

Lifeline

Chapter 9

He drove the car into an empty hangar, glancing around quickly before getting out. Chikage remained in the car as he walked toward his cruiser, and when he realized she wasn't beside him, he paused, glancing over his shoulder. Her forehead was leaned against the dashboard, hands behind around her neck. He sighed, then turned and headed back toward the car. She didn't move as he opened her door, crouching down next to her.

"We have to go, Chi," he said quietly. No response. "Now." She lifted her head, leaning back in the seat, her eyes closed. He reached out to grasp her arm as he said her name again. She nodded, and he pulled, helping her out of the car. His arm slipped around her waist as they walked, and she kept glancing over her shoulder where the car was stashed. He glanced down at her.

"That hangar important for anything?" she asked quietly. He shook his head, brow arched. She produced a small, round device.

"What's that?" She glanced up at him quickly, halting her steps. "Chikage?"

"Close your eyes, Riddick," she told him. He turned around, his back facing her and the hangar, and she depressed the center of the device, glancing over her shoulder once more as she reached out, twining her arm in his as she continued walking. He started to turn to look back, but her grip tightened. "Not yet," she warned. He instinctively ducked as the car, along with the hangar, exploded.

"What's with you and explosives?" he asked quickly, letting a grin surface. She shrugged, still all business now that he'd snapped her out of whatever zone she was in once she found out Marcus and Amy were dead. His forehead crinkled, eyes narrowing behind tinted goggles as he glanced back at the now burning hangar before leading the rest of the way to the cruiser. "You didn't bring anything with you, did you?" She shook her head, ignoring the hand he offered her through the cockpit door as she hoisted herself off the ground. He shrugged, watching her secure the door behind her. "We can stop planet side in a couple days."

"You really think that's a good idea?"

"Not really," he said with a small smile. "But as long as we're both quick and inconspicuous it shouldn't be a big deal."

"Riddick," she said, sitting in the navigator's chair as he strapped into the pilot's seat, "you never have been and never will be inconspicuous." He snickered. "Tell me what you need and I'll get it."

"You're not going out by yourself," he said quickly, fingers moving rapidly over the controls. Her eyebrow rose.

"You know as well as I do I can take care of myself doing something as simple as shopping so shut the fuck up and just give me a list before I leave, okay?" He stared at her for a moment, goggles resting on his forehead, silver glinting in the darkness. His expression was a mixture of uneasiness and anger, but he finally nodded, turning his attention back to readying the ship for takeoff. She watched his fingers move across the control panel as she strapped herself into her seat. He'd stashed his transport on an unused section of a private landing strip, and didn't have to worry about calling in their takeoff or even filing a flight plan. She watched in fascination as he pulled the ship off the tarmac and guided it out of the planet's atmosphere. The cruiser took a wide arc away from the ground, giving her a gorgeous view of the globe as they left it, heading out toward the stars. He shifted into autopilot and quickly programmed in a course before leaning back in his chair, the leather creaking with his movements. "Wanna give me a quick tour or should I explore on my own?" He stood, and she followed him down the hallway, down into the belly of the ship. She thought it a little odd that the cockpit was cut off from the rest of the second floor, meaning one had to go downstairs, to the back stairs, and back up to get to the other half of the top level.

The front stairs opened to the mess hall, a small kitchen on one wall and a table on the other. Down the hall were two bedrooms, one on either side of the hallway, a bathroom on the right, and the second set of stairs on the left. She ducked into her room for a moment, not seeing much difference from his, or, for that matter, from the rooms she'd had on the Army cruisers. Pretty standard. She followed him up the stairs, smiling at the sight that greeted her. The front room was built into a library, bookshelves lining the walls from floor to ceiling, complete with locking mechanisms across the books to keep them from falling out when the turbulence got rough.

"Nice," she commented quietly. He stood there watching her take in the room, running her fingers along the spines of some of the books. Everything ancient to modern psychology, medicine, geography and geology, even philosophy. "Never pegged you for a serious thinker, Riddick," she smirked. He shrugged.

"Get bored every now and then," he answered gruffly. She nodded toward a door on the opposite wall.

"What's behind that door or do I not want to know?" He gestured for her to enter, and she obliged, laughing quietly. "Shoulda known," she said, shaking her head. Light padding covered the floor and halfway up the walls, a punching bag hanging in a corner next to a shelf holding yoga mats and blocks, boxing gear, and other various workout necessities. "You'll never get me out of here."

"Try me," he quipped, smiling evilly. She laughed, shaking her head.

"What, no med-bay?"

"There's a pretty exhaustive kit in the bathroom under the sink if you ever need it. Panels in the walls behind the beds have IV bag hooks and shit." She nodded, seemingly impressed.

"You outdid yourself this time, darlin'," she said quietly. He shrugged.

"Just the necessities." His modesty prompted a cackle from his female counterpart.

"Yeah, like the dojo is really a fucking necessity, but whatever." He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand. "I know, I know," she said, shaking her head. "For people like us, it _is_ a necessity." He followed her back into the library, pulling the door shut behind him. "Where'd you find this?"

"Well, I got the shell at a junk yard. Did a little engine work," he explained, following her back down the winding stairs. "Once I got her working, I started in on the belly."

"You did all this yourself?" He grunted his answer. "Doesn't surprise me. I was having flashbacks to all the heaps we occupied in Ops. Had to wonder."

"What, where I got the ideas or if I jacked one?" he asked, a touch of amusement in his voice. She shrugged.

"Pick one." He chuckled. "Question though." He nodded. "Why's the top level split like that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," she started, heaving herself onto the kitchen counter as he rifled through the refrigerator, "say you're in the dojo and I'm on bridge duty."

"Yeah."

"And then there's a blip on the screen. Something tells me you'll never trust me to fly this thing, especially if we've got a bogey, am I right?" He glanced at her with a grin. "Exactly. So I scream at you to get your ass up to the bridge, and you have to go through the library, down the stairs, all the way across the first level, and back up the stairs to the cockpit."

"Exercise," he said with a shrug. Her eyebrow rose.

"Highly unwise, don't you think?"

"Well, there's an alarm system built into every room. Once the radar picks up another craft, we'll know at the same time. It'll give you the chance to disengage auto or start finding out what's going on, mapping out an escape route, and that'll buy me the time to get there." She nodded slowly. "But, you know, it's not like it'd be a long trip from the dojo to the bridge anyway." She snickered.

"Well knowing me, I'd fall down the stairs and forget where I was going before I could get up there to start navigating." He shook his head. Her boots thudded on the floor as she slid off the counter. "I'm taking a shower," she announced, starting toward the bathroom.

"Don't get wet," he called after her.

---

Chikage closed her eyes as she let the water cascade over her head, tilting her face up to take the brunt of the water pressure. The ship's engines vibrated the shower floor, and she knew her feet would go numb eventually – it'd been long enough since she'd been on a military-esque transport vessel her limbs had forgotten how it felt. She let her head fall forward, the water now beating on the back of her scalp as she pressed her hands against the wall, the metal cool to her warm hands. With her eyes closed, images of Marcus and Amy lying in a pool of their own blood flashed in her mind. The door creaked open and her head snapped up toward the sound. She was instantly thankful the door was metal like everything else, hiding her.

"Clean clothes for you," Riddick said, raising his voice to carry over the sound of the water. She threw a thumbs-up over the top of the shower door, and he chuckled to himself. "Probably a little big, but they're clean and dry."

"Thanks," she called. The door creaked and clicked shut, and she stared at the shower door for a moment before clearing the wet hair clinging to her face. A small shelf was built into the wall opposite the showerhead, and she glanced over the few bottles placed there. Liquid soap and shampoo. She shook her head with a small smile, lifting the shampoo. Cheap, generic shampoo. _He's a guy. What'd you expect?_ Generic shampoo and liquid soap were better than the crusty salty body she was before, and she finished her shower quickly, toweling off before inspecting the clothes he'd laid out for her. Sweats and a beater. _Big surprise. _

Naked feet slapped on the floor as she returned to the library, her hair toweled just dry enough not to drip, hanging in loose waves down her back. It would be tangled all to hell without a comb, and especially without conditioner, but at this point she couldn't have cared less. She stared at the volumes of books contained in the massive shelves surrounding her, wondering where to start. A thick black book caught her eye, the words 'Criminal Psychology: Classical Cases' etched in yellow along the spine. The shelf was unlocked, and she pulled it from the shelf, securing the books remaining on that shelf before sprawling on a couch. She thumbed through the extensive index, and sure enough, Riddick was a featured topic. A smirk, and she flipped through the pages.

---

He'd heard the shower shut off, but she'd not returned to the bridge yet. _Probably in the library,_ he thought with a smile. _That girl couldn't ever have enough books to keep her happy. _It was one of the things he liked most about her. She wasn't just a killing machine, or just a bodyguard, or just a pretty face. She'd been one of the few people, and not just women, that made him question his level of intelligence. It was one of the reasons she'd been recruited to the Ops teams in the first place. She'd started out as a grunt – a basic soldier with no special weapons or tactics trainings. But a commander happened to thumb through her file one day when the ranks were running low, and came across her IQ scores and aptitude tests results. Riddick had never found out what her marks were, but few women were ever allowed into the Ops, much less recruited, and he'd been chosen to train her on the weapons and combat skills she'd not had.

Black Ops teams were the most elite one could get in the Company Army, highly trained, highly intelligent, and, most of all, highly dangerous. When he'd started training her, he wondered what the hell Company was thinking, bringing in someone as unspecialized as Chikage. But the more time he spent with her, the more he realized just how much potential she had. She'd advanced faster than anyone he'd met in hand-to-hand combat training, even coming up with her own skills no one else could seem to do without the level of flexibility she had, and the weapons training seemed like second nature to her. He'd show her once, and she'd nail it. Thinking about it now, her accuracy with the powerful sniper rifles they'd used at the time surpassed even his. He'd been the one to recommend her to the A Team Sniper Unit, partly because he knew she was the best and would only get better, but mostly because she was the one person he wanted watching his back. The rest of the sniper team could have been worthless and he'd still have backup as long as she was on the unit.

There was an entire list of unwritten commandments each Black Ops operative understood and abided by. The top of the list contained directives such as not leaving a fallen team member behind and an unquestioned and unhesitant willingness to take a bullet for another team member if and only if necessary. There was a hierarchy to the Ops, and snipers were at the top. Good snipers, unparalleled in Chikage's case, were extremely hard to come by and unbelievably expensive to train, in both man-hours and money. Those on the strike team were required by unwritten consensus to take one for a sniper, no matter what. Riddick had fulfilled that requirement on several occasions, and not just for Chikage. What puzzled him was the one time she'd taken one for him. He'd never questioned it, but never understood it. And he'd never figured out why she'd left the Ops, even with the offer of an honorable discharge. He'd assumed she'd be a lifer, like he'd planned to be. She'd hinted at it, but unlike him, she'd not been forced to give it up. He never blamed her for letting him take the fall that night. There was no way she could have seen what happened to be able to testify in his defense, and Company would have taken her down with him if she had. A part of him was glad she'd decided not to even testify as a character witness, though he'd been angry with her at first. Now he understood she'd either not been allowed to or able to take that risk on him. And that was assuming she would have wanted to take the risk for him in the first place.

---

Chikage stared at the picture on the page, and had been staring at it for quite some time now. The only picture of him printed in that book broke the barrier holding down her rage and contempt for Company researchers. Being chained to the wall was one thing, and understandable for an operative allegedly gone wrong. He'd been shackled and handcuffed, chains linking through his arms to attach to the wall, his shackles anchored to the wall as well. They'd all been subjected to those bindings while undergoing hostage training, but she focused now on the bit between his teeth and the blindfold over his eyes. Purple bruises marked his skin, lacerations imbedded in the discolored flesh, and he hung limply against the chains, probably beaten into unconsciousness. A deep frown marred her features as she stared at the photo, wondering why they'd take things that far.

The case file held declassified information about his time spent in the Ops, ranging from training breakdowns, preferences, a few sparse assignment descriptions, and an overview of the screening process for the teams with his scores listed for comparison. She didn't know if he knew his scores – after all, she didn't even know hers. It went on to detail the long list of every diagnosis he'd had attached to him: post traumatic stress disorder, high levels of stress, lack of proper socialization, lack of conscience, mental insanity, severe psychosis, even dissociative identity disorder.

She inhaled deeply and turned the page. Biographical history. Foster homes, group homes, homeless shelters, shelters for troubled children, juvenile corrections facilities, and then the Ops. None of his early offenses had been serious – mostly misdemeanors and minor felonies, and those would have depended on which planet or which solar system he'd been in at the time. Judging just from the information contained in these files, he'd never been given a chance to be anything but trouble. His whole life had been a self-fulfilled prophecy as far as she could tell. And even so, every offense in his adult life not connected to the Ops, as they had military immunity, could be argued to have been self-defense.

"You're an interesting read, Mr. Riddick," she said quietly, hearing his soft chuckle as he left the doorframe to settle onto the couch next to her. "Then again, you never know how much of this shit is lies," she added, shutting the large book resting in her lap. "Lack of conscience?" He shrugged. "Severe psychosis?"

"Only on Thursdays," he answered with a smirk. She found herself returning the smile, but it fell quickly.

"Post traumatic stress disorder?" His jaw tightened, and her eyes focused on the cover of the book instead of his face. "That picture, Riddick," she said quietly. He rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah, I know."

"When was that?"

"First jailbreak," he answered with a sigh. "I got smarter after that and made it harder for them to catch me." She nodded slowly. She felt his eyes on her as she stood to replace the book, locking the shelf quietly before turning back to him, hooking her thumbs in the back of the sweats that hung loosely from her hips. He smirked, watching her start as he stood slowly. "Don't tell me you're scared of me after reading that." Her eyebrow rose as a small smile worked its way to her lips. "I'd have to chuck that book then, and I'd really hate to deprive you of even one piece of reading material." Her smile fell as she broke her gaze from him, and his brows furrowed, but he waited for her to say something next.

"You'd think with everything I've seen now," she started with a snicker, "that a photo like that wouldn't bother me the slightest." The light smirk turning her lips upwards faded as she raised her eyes to his. "I wasn't expecting that." He shrugged. "And don't even say it didn't bother you too." He blinked.

"Nothing bothers me," he said quietly. "Shit happens and I deal with it." She shook her head.

"If nothing bothers you, why are you so worried about this girl you're trying to save?" she asked quietly. She left the room before he could answer, walking slowly, quietly down the stairs back to her room. The sheets were softer than she'd been expecting after assuming everything on this ship was military standard. Her eyes closed, mind alternating between the image of Marcus and Amy and that photo of Riddick. She heard him shuffle to the doorway after a while and pause, felt him watching her again, and forced her breathing to slow and her muscles relax. The air shifted as he entered the room, crouching beside her bed. He remained there for a moment, so silent she had to fight not to look and see if he was still in the room. Then she heard his clothes ruffle as he stood and exited the room, counting ten seconds before allowing herself to open her eyes. The lights flickered for a moment before falling from low to dim, and she let herself relax back into the mattress, the engines lulling her to sleep. __


	10. Chapter 10

Lifeline

Chapter 10

A soft rapping on the doorframe, as no door was hung, brought Chikage to a sudden wakefulness, sitting up in bed. She glared at the body backlit in her doorway and flopped back onto her pillow with a small whimper. A low chuckle prompted her eyes to open.

"We're landing in an hour. Get up," Riddick said quietly, knocking on the wall once more for emphasis. She sighed, stretching lazily with a groan before sitting up again, more slowly this time. Cold metal met her feet, and she gasped, wiggling her toes into socks quickly before trying again. He was back in the cockpit, leaning forward in his chair as he readied the ship for landing. She lowered herself into the navigator's chair and yawned.

"What time is it?" she asked. He glanced at her quickly.

"Ergon runs a 32 hour day," he said. "It's 1300 their time." She nodded, strapping her chrono onto her wrist after changing the settings. "Your clothes are clean, by the way," he added, glancing at the rumpled sweats and wifebeater hanging loosely on her body. She smiled, standing to return to the lower level to change. "Mind locking down for me?" he called a moment later.

"Got it." She locked things up as she headed back to her room, ducking in with her clean clothes over an arm. She dropped them on her bed, locked down the few things that needed it, and dressed quickly, jogging up the stairs to check the library and dojo. He glanced over his shoulder at her as he heard her boots thump up the stairs. "Clearance?"

"Private strip again," he answered, watching her strap in to her chair. She pulled the swivel keyboard over her lap, calling up the navigation programs. "Distance?"

"320 kilometers," she answered.

"You know, I don't really need a navigator," he said coyly. She turned to him, flashing a winning smile.

"Don't deprive me the honor," she quipped, winking. He shrugged.

"What's the angle then?" The keyboard clicked as she calculated the required angle of descent.

"Thirty degrees the whole way, baby," she answered quietly. "Keep her steady and you're good to go." She watched the altimeter count down, every now and then checking out the readings on her monitor. They hit a pocket of turbulence, bouncing around a little, and she called up the previous program. "Change to 34 degrees, bank right 14 degrees." He followed her instructions. "Adjust to 12 degrees right." She continued her typing. "Zero degrees right, 38 degree descent."

"It's a lot more interesting when I have to figure this shit out on my own," he said with a smirk. She stared at him for a moment.

"Do it yourself then," she said simply, pushing the keyboard away from her as she leaned back in her chair.

"I don't want to deprive you," he returned. She laughed, pulling the keyboard back to her.

"As long as you don't hit another bounce pocket you're set to land." He nodded, watching the runway near. "You know, it might be worthwhile to set up a security program with forged certificates and all," she suggested slowly. "Use public ports and capitalize on their security." He shrugged. "I mean, we both know private strips are nice, but there's no way we can be sure it'll be here when we get back."

"Yeah," he granted, "but since I'm too conspicuous I'll always be here to hold the fort." She chuckled, closing her eyes to enjoy the split second of freefall just before the landing gear hit the pavement.

"Nice," she whispered. He taxied to a slightly hidden corner of the lot and shut down all the engines except the generator. She released her harness with a click and stood, stretching her arms overhead as her back arched. "Where's your list?"

"You've got a mobile unit and a pack in that locker behind you." She glanced over her shoulder. "I uploaded the list last night." Her eyebrow rose.

"A virtual shopping list, huh?" He shrugged. "Interesting. What else is in the pack?"

"Check it out for yourself." She opened the locker, extracting the small backpack stashed there.

"Lockers?"

"Accessible but still secured," he explained.

"Smart," she said, unzipping the small pouch at the front of the pack. A small gun, extra clip, and a credit chip, along with a falsified identification card. She held the ID card up. "Will this check out?"

"Well enough to pass. No biometrics though."

"That'll raise eyebrows," she commented with a cringe.

"Check out the origination," he said, smirking as he pointed at the card in her fingers. She turned it over, laughing lightly.

"Nice. The one planet that refuses to even record biometrics." He grinned. "How much is on the chip?"

"Enough," he said quickly.

"Is it real money or ones and zeros?" His hard stare almost convinced her it was real. "So, um…" she unzipped the bag's main compartment, and she nodded. The mobile computer had a small pocket of its own to keep it accessible in the larger pouch, which also held a jacket and a baseball cap. "Look, Riddick," she said, pausing mid-sentence. He looked up at her, emotion hidden from his face, his eyes covered by his dark goggles to ward off the rays of sunshine trickling through the tree providing a little shade over the ship. "Now that my detail's over…" she trailed off, eyeing him warily. He sighed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Look, we'll talk about what happens after all this shit is over later, okay?" She nodded slightly, zipping the pack up again. A strap was hung over her shoulder. "That mobile has the IP address of this ship programmed in, so if anything happens, shoot off a message and destroy it. The jacket and hat are in case you need to change your appearance or whatever."

"Or if it rains," she added with a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess." He paused for a moment. "Get what you need and get back."

"Why do I feel like a teenager getting ready to go on her first date?" she asked quickly, eyebrow arched. Riddick chuckled. "Do I have a curfew?" He leaned back in his chair again, scratching his eyebrow with his thumb. She flashed back to the poker table for a second, unable to stop the confident smirk.

"If you're not back by 1600 I'll get worried and send out a search team." She snickered.

"I'll send you a message if I think I'll be later than that," she said.

"It wouldn't be smart. Don't spend any more time in any one place than you have to."

"I know that, Riddick."

"This isn't security detail now, Chi," he pressed, his voice dropping in pitch. "I would bet one of Dave's goons squealed to Company and set us both up for Marcus and Amy's murders." She swallowed thickly. "There's plenty of places we could have gone from there, so I doubt there'd be a massive detail of Company monkeys or mercs looking for either one of us here, but play it safe." She nodded. "Be quick about everything you do, but don't look rushed. Don't stick out."

"I got it Riddick," she said a little too quickly.

"Look, this isn't Ops, Chikage," he insisted. "You're not hiding on a rooftop with a sniper rifle. All you have is that snub nosed 380 auto and your legs. If someone sniffs you out, you won't have the distance you would in Ops to get out. If you can't take a shot, get the fuck out and lose them." She nodded. "Don't anticipate anything happening, but be ready if it does." He glanced at the door, and she shifted the bag on her shoulder, staring at him for a moment before swinging it open and hopping to the ground. She started toward the large buildings jutting up on the horizon, pulling the mobile from her bag.

As she walked, she tinkered with the thing, learning the ins and outs of the system he'd installed so she could access it quickly if needed. A message blinked in the corner and she called it up:

_Chi – there's a map of the city installed. I downloaded it from the Building Commission and uploaded it to this unit. The next message is my list. _

She smirked to herself with slight shake of the head.

_There's a little hardware shop on the corner. I highlighted it on your map. Stop there first. Pick up some accessories while you're in the area. It'd be a waste of that hot little contraption you were using last night. Make sure to load up. We'll make a couple of stops before we get there, so don't get enough to raise a flag. _

Suddenly, she felt like she was playing a first person shooter spy video game, and chuckled out loud.

_There's a duffel bag folded up in the bottom of your pack. I found a locker station in the middle of the city. Plenty of people, so it'll be safe. Don't carry too much at a time until you're on your way home. Get groceries last, and make sure you can get everything back without getting bogged down. If anything happens, drop it and run. I've got GPS on this thing so I'll know where you are, even if you have to blow the damn thing. The locator chip will blink. Make sure you take it and some firepower with you. _

She stopped walking and stared at the last line, glancing quickly over her shoulder to where the ship was parked.

_And hurry the fuck up._

Chikage turned the corner her mobile said led to the main square in town and let out a sigh of relief. At least twenty other people carried mobile computers and PDAs with them, constantly in use, and she instantly felt better about trying to blend in. The hardware store was just a block away, and she called up his list, smirking. Bells jangled, wound through the door to sound someone's entrance, and she paused in the doorway, cursing Riddick under her breath.

"Can I help you, miss?" A man asked, walking out from behind a counter as he clasped his hands behind his back. She gazed around the store for a moment, eyes flitting over skimpy lingerie hanging on racks and mannequins.

"I'm sorry," she said, whipping out her mobile again and rechecking her location. She stared back at the store employee in confusion. "My map told me this was a hardware store. I must have uploaded from an outdated database," she mumbled. The man's eyes darkened, and he turned to nod at a woman standing near a door on the back wall. "Follow me," he said quietly. Her eyebrow rose, but she obliged, watching the woman look her over quickly before taking the man's place behind the counter. He opened the door to reveal a small office, another door guarded by a keypad. Standing so he'd block her view, his arm moved, and she heard the beeps as he entered the code, the door opening with a swoosh of air. A grin broke on her face as he gestured for her to enter before him. "What are you looking for?" he asked, folding his hands behind his back again. She didn't need to look at Riddick's list again.

"Four auto pistols and ammo. A handful of clusters, a pack of jammers." He whistled quietly, and she stopped, blinking a few times.

"Going to war, are we?" A twisted smirk turned his lips, and she chuckled.

"Not really."

"Help yourself," he said quickly, adding a nod. She browsed through the massive collection of weapons, adding the figures in her head based on the going retails.

"How do your rates compare, just out of curiosity?" she asked, reaching out to caress a sleek pistol.

"For the average customer we run about the same as IGC retail," he said. "But a shopper such as yourself is rare, and with the list you've rattled off we could come to a compromise."

"And what kind of shopper would I be?" she asked, trying to keep the insult out of her voice. She hated getting discounts just because the storeowners were attracted to her.

"Let's put it this way," he said slowly, licking his lips. "There's not a thing in the galaxy that is sexier than a beautiful woman who hides an arsenal well." Her anger gave way to amusement, and she chuckled, feeling the blush rise in her cheeks. She pulled two pistols from the wall and set them on the center table before crossing the room to select two more pistols of a different model. "You know your weapons," he commented quietly.

"And I have expensive taste," she added, nodding. He chuckled. "Do you have any EMP bombs?"

"The shelf to your left," he answered, pointing. She made a clicking noise with her tongue in satisfaction as she picked through the collection, setting seven on the table. His eyes followed her every movement as she zigzagged across the room, the pile on the table growing. He started loading her selections into boxes, and when she'd added the last item, he piled them into a bag and took a deep breath.

"What's the damage?" she asked, keeping her eyes on him as she fished through her bag for the credit chip.

"What would you say about twenty five hundred for a starting price?" She smiled.

"I'll give you twenty one," she answered. A grin flashed at her.

"And she bargains as well," he said, shaking his head. "You know, list value would be around four thousand, dear."

"I know that." His eyebrows rose. "I added as I went. Twenty three?"

"Sold," he said with a wide smile. "The missus will bruise me, but I'll tell her I have a feeling you'll be back for more." Her smile fell slowly.

"I can't promise that, but I will _definitely_ remember this place in case I need to." He nodded in approval, and she handed him her chip. Convenience was the motto of the place, she noticed, as he ran the chip from inside the arsenal room. A price that high would raise eyebrows if it'd been run from the lingerie store and someone was there to overhear. She slid the sack into her backpack and took the chip back from him, slipping him a wink before exiting back to the lingerie room, thanking the woman behind the counter, his wife if he'd been truthful, with a bright smile as the door bells jangled on her way out.

---

After getting lost twice following the complicated and detailed map on her mobile, she finally got a locker, slipping the new items into the metal box and locking it, making sure the key wouldn't fall out of her pocket as she walked away, shrugging her pack into place over her shoulder. She paused in the middle of the square, glancing around at the names of the shops surrounding her. Her chronos showed 1400 planet time, and she sighed. _Might as well,_ she thought with an devious grin.

"I thought I said not to get enough to bog you down," Riddick scolded, hanging out of the cockpit door. She grinned.

"I didn't," she quipped, tossing the duffel bag up to him before hoisting herself up next to him. "The duffel was the light stuff. Groceries and shit," she explained. "Backpack was the heavier, more important stuff," she added, wiggling her eyebrows as she gestured toward the bag slung over her shoulders.

"You know you have to show it all off, right?" She nodded, taking the duffel back as she crossed the room toward the stairs, hearing the door latch and lock before his boots thumped behind her. The groceries were placed in their bags on the kitchen counter, backpack deposited on the kitchen table, and she heard it unzip as she abandoned it to unload the duffel in her room. Random clicks emanated from outside her quarters as she ripped tags from her new clothes, hanging some on the stationary hangers in her closet and folding others to go in the small drawer chest built into the foot of her bed. "Chikage?" she heard him call. After stalling to drop her unmentionables into the top drawer, she poked her head out into the hallway. He was standing in the middle of the kitchen, still staring at the small armory she'd acquired. "It's a good thing I sent you to get all this stuff," he said slowly.

"Why's that?"

"Because if you got everything at one hardware store, and I went instead I don't think I'd ever leave that place." She chuckled.

"Speaking of the hardware store, you could have warned me, you know," she said, leaving her room to re-inspect her selections.

"Warned you of what?"

"I walked in and thought I was lost." His eyebrow rose. "They've got a front store and a back store," she explained, leaning back against the edge of the kitchen table. "The back store is where they keep the cool stuff."

"And the front store?" he asked quietly. She noticed his gaze drop slightly for a moment as she licked her lips, before returning to her eyes.

"Just a fuckin' lingerie store," she said with a snicker. His lips twitched into a quick smile.

"Most girls would prefer the front store," he remarked quietly. She shrugged a shoulder, watching him reach out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes broke from his, focusing on the weapons scattered across the table.

"You want me to go ahead and start loading these bad boys up so they're ready to go or wait until later when I'm bored?" she asked, oxygen suddenly hard to find. He noticed her tense as he took a step closer to her, wondering if the personal bubble thing was a chronic issue.

"Wait until later." Her eyes closed as she felt the vibrations of his voice, his breath hot against her skin. She swallowed, opening her eyes slowly, still staring at their new weapons. He glanced down at her hands, the knuckles whitened at the force of her grip, his eyes slowly trailing back up to her face. She inhaled sharply as his lips pressed against the side of her neck, her pulse racing against his skin. Her hand flattened out across his chest after a moment, and she pushed him away, leaving the table to walk back to her room. He blinked a few times in confusion, finally rubbing a hand over his head and turning back up the stairs to the cockpit. _What the fuck just happened? _


	11. Chapter 11

Lifeline

Chapter 11

Chikage heard the main engines roar to life and sighed, stuffing her shopping bags into one before discarding them and heading back up to the main deck. She lowered herself into her seat, all the while avoiding Riddick's eyes as she called up her computer programs to monitor takeoff. This time she wouldn't be calling any commands to him, letting him handle the piloting on his own. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him glance at her quickly before taking the controls.

"You okay?" He asked quietly. She nodded in silence, and he taxied the ship onto the runway. Engines roared to life as he accelerated, vibrating the entire ship, and she couldn't help but smile at the feeling. She'd always loved the feeling of being on a transport, whether it was the tingling in her toes as her bare feet vibrated with the engines on the floor or the gentle rocking of the entire cabin all in a quiet rhythm. He switched on the autopilot and leaned back in his chair, glancing at her again.

"I'm gonna go check out the guns," she said quietly. He nodded, standing to follow her. Neither said a word as they both sat at the kitchen table, inspecting, cleaning, and loading the guns she'd brought home.

"What are these?" Riddick finally asked, watching her eyes dart up to him at the broken silence. She shifted her gaze to his fingers.

"It's an EMP bomb," she answered quietly. He nodded. "Toss it in a room, power down whatever you have and hit the detonator."

"So why do they call it a bomb if there's no physical explosion?" he continued, hoping to keep her talking, even if it was superficial. "I've always wondered that."

"There is a physical explosion," she said flatly. "There's just no visible explosion unless one of the affected devices wants to short." He nodded, gently putting the bomb back on the table. He held up a small box, containing little hairpin like things and a metal box with one button and a belt clip. "Those are jammers. The box gets clipped onto your belt, and then you powe rit up and rub the pins on it. Gives them an electromagnetic charge so you can short an electronic lock or something without necessarily alerting the security system."

"Really." He sounded surprised, and she gave him a small nod as she put a gun back together after cleaning.

"Depends on the system, I guess," she said with a shrug. "On most systems, the lock just ceases to exist. It's supposed to compromise the connection to the system so it won't realize the lock was there to begin with. It doesn't just lose communication, which is what would trigger the alert, it destroys the port the lock is connected to without damaging the rest of the system. Sneaky, sneaky." Well, at least she was talking and joking a little bit.

"And this?"

"That's a gun, Riddick." He grinned.

"But you were doing so well at explaining everything." She shook her head, returning her attention to the weapon in her hand, but he saw the hint of a smile flash across her face. "What else did you get?" he asked quietly.

"Clothes and groceries." She glanced up at him, blowing a stray chunk of hair out of her eyes. "I put the stuff I got you on your bed." He nodded.

"Thanks." She stared at him for a moment, as though the word he just said was foreign to her. The moment passed, and she forced a tiny smile as she nodded.

"So are we going to go in hot or what?"

"I haven't decided yet," he said, setting his gun on the tabletop as he leaned back against the wall. "We'll probably want to do some surveillance before we work up a definitive plan anyway, so we'll have to see." Another small nod.

"I figured that would be the plan," she admitted. "That green box over there has surveillance darts. Video and audio." He picked up the box, taking out one of the darts to examine it more closely. "Silencers, too. If we can find a spot to hide the muzzle flash, we'll be good to go."

"Nice." This prompted another smile from her. He hated to admit it, but she was more on the ball with this little mission than he was. He never would have considered surveillance darts or silencers, just done the dirty work the old way.

"So is it later yet?" Her eyes met and held his for the first time in hours, and he blinked a few times, not sure what she was referring to. "What happens after we get the girl out?" He rubbed his eyes. "I mean, she probably ran away from New Mecca for a reason, so I doubt she'd willingly go back without planning to do the same thing all over again."

"You're probably right," he said quietly, shaking his head.

"Take her with you?" Her eyebrow was arched, seemingly challenging, and he paused.

"You make it sound like you're splitting the moment we get her out," he observed. She only shrugged noncommittally. "Look, I—" He cut himself off, looking up at the ceiling as an insistent beeping started, growing louder. "Fuck," he muttered, launching himself from his seat to run up the stairs. She followed quickly.

"What is it?" He was typing furiously on her keyboard, and the radar feed appeared with one small triangle situated behind them. "Shit." He nodded, moving away from her chair. They both strapped in, and she took over his typing. "It's not moving very fast," she commented. "Just following at a safe distance, I guess."

"How long do you think it's been there?" More typing.

"I don't really know. If it was already in flight they could have been surveilling us for a while, but assuming they took off after us, probably two hours." She glanced at him, watching his jaw tighten. "Maybe more, I don't know."

"Okay, we're gonna go planet side again," he said, pulling up a map on his monitor. The planets on his screen were numbered, not named, which was a typical characteristic of military mapping. Those maps were like the highways of the Midwest on Earth – every street had both a name and a number, and officials preferred using the numbers, just like star maps. "Can you find anything out about that ship?" He paused to look at her, and she nodded once, turning back to her screen.

"It'll take me a while," she said.

"Let me know." He guided the transport into a gradual arc, and now one planet lay off in the distance as nothing more than a glowing white sphere. She'd sent the radar imaging up to another monitor, one both could see, as she slowly broke through the security measures protecting the pursuant ship's information. It followed their slow arc, but didn't speed up. He shook his head. Definitely following them, and trying to be sly about it. Not a good sign.

"Small crew. Three listed."

"Sounds like a merc ship," he growled.

"Could be, but I don't know yet." She continued typing. "Military ID number," she said, tilting her head to the side.

"How do you know?"

"Starts with 429 and is two digits longer than civilian ships," she answered. "It doesn't mean it's actually Company," She clarified. "Just manufactured by them. Could be stolen or auctioned. Wait a minute." More frenzied clicking of keys. "Shit. It's Company. Pilot is Lieutenant Darius M. Roberts."

"You know him?"

"Of him," she said with a small shake of her head. "Never met the guy but I hear he's one mean asshole."

"What else can you find?"

"They've got quite the weapons collection. Armed like no small tracer ship I've seen," she said with a sigh. "I don't know if they know who we are or were just dispatched to check us out, but they could easily take this baby out if they wanted to."

"Well," he said slowly, "Wait. What do they know about us?"

"Nothing, really. We have no certificates, no crew listings, and as far as I know, no weapons they could access without hacking deep into the system to break through the encryption. Just the ID number."

"Which is military," he pointed out. Her eyes widened.

"You think they're trying to figure out if we're one of them?" He shook his head.

"They keep a list of the numbers they get rid of, so they know it's not active in Company's fleet. Probably traced it to the junk yard I bought it at, and not having any information for them to check out doesn't look too good." She nodded thoughtfully. "We might want to change that eventually. Set up a superficial log or something."

"I'll start on that after we land." His eyebrow rose. "If there's magically information where they tried to access it before and couldn't get anything, it won't do anything but make them even more suspicious."

"Do me a favor," he said quietly after a beat. She nodded. "Will you make sure all the guns and bombs and shit don't fly around if we hit any turbulence or anything." The click of her harness was her answer, and she trotted down the steps, loading the bombs back into their boxes. The guns were left out of the boxes, tucked in the waistband of her pants as she loaded the boxes of bombs and extra ammo back into the shopping bag, carrying them back upstairs to load into a locker. The guns were placed into locking hooks on the door to secure them as well. She turned back to the front window and her knees nearly buckled.

"Um, Riddick?"

"I know," he groaned. "Sit down and strap in." The color drained from her face, her hands clammy and cold as she buckled her harness.

"This is Regnet," she said quietly. He nodded. "Are you crazy?"

"Maybe," he said with a small smile.

"Do you have an open landing zone?" The quick glance he cast her from the corner of her eye made her stomach fall, her attention returning to the planet before them, drawing closer. The planet Regnet was uninhabitable on the surface, the few communities that existed there built underground. It was probably the most dangerous landing anyone could ever make if there wasn't a clear landing zone. Massive hurricanes covered the entire planet, dancing around each other. The only time the landing zone was completely safe was the intermittent moments an eye passed over it, granting a window of about forty-five minutes to approach and land before the eyewall passed over. She swallowed. The paths of these storms followed no pattern. Most times, transports would circle until a window opened if landing there was an absolute necessity. And then there was Riddick. She called up a satellite image of the planet, tracking down each of the three landing zones on this hemisphere. "Fuck." He glanced at her, watching her stare at the screen. "There's only one port open, Riddick."

"I know. The other two were damaged a couple months ago. They haven't made much progress with repairs," he said quietly. She zoomed in on the location of the open port, turning back to him with her mouth hanging open and eyes wide. He glanced at her, then the radar, then back to her. Their pursuer was closing in on them slowly. "What?"

"The landing strip is just inside the northeast quadrant of the eye," she said, voice shaking slightly.

"And?" He sounded agitated.

"And the storm is moving southwest a two kilometers per hour."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning we'll have to land when the northeast quadrant of the eyewall is over the fucking landing strip," she snapped. His eyes closed for a moment, and he took a deep breath before opening them again. The eyewalls of the storms were the most powerful, these storms carrying winds exceeding 320 kilometers per hour, and the entire northeast quadrant of the storm was more powerful than the rest, meaning they would be landing in the most dangerous part of the storm possible. She took a shaky breath. "Riddick…"

"Trust me," he said quietly, tightening his grip on the controls. She looked back at the radar. Roberts' ship was 600 kilometers away and increasing its speed. Her eyes returned to the closing storms. From outside, the tops of the storms were beautiful; white clouds swirling in a perfect circle, all revolving around each other in a dangerously attractive dance. She shook her head slowly as Riddick engaged the thrusters, the ship lurching forward. "Chikage, listen to me very carefully," he started. She nodded. "This is probably the only time I'll say I need a navigator. I don't want angles. I want wind speeds, directions, any microbursts showing up on the weather radar, rotation – anything having anything to do with the weather, I want to know." Another quick nod. "And keep an eye on the monkey. I doubt he'll follow us, but just in case." She called up the weather maps.

"The landing strip is five kilometers inside the eye," she said slowly. "Max winds from the east southeast at 345 kph in the northeast quadrant of the eyewall, gusts up to 400 kph." He winced. No rotation yet." She glanced up at the radar. "550 kilometers at 556 kph and increasing at .38 kph per second. "Landing strip is 1.5 kilometers inside the eye. Forty-five minutes to impact." It sounded like a lot of time, but there was no eye the cruiser could push a speed fast enough to pass through the eye and still be able to slow down for landing, much less maneuver well enough to pull it off. Time crawled by, Chikage counting off five-minute intervals. "Riddick?" He grunted. "Landing strip is half a kilometer inside the eye. Fifteen minutes to impact." She inhaled sharply, gripping her armrests tightly to keep from feeling her hands shake. "400 kilometers and holding at 560 kph. What's our speed?"

"Holding at 570 kph," Riddick answered quickly. She nodded.

"Lower level rotation northeast of the landing strip, moving west northwest at two kph. It'll miss the landing strip," she added. "800 kilometers and slowing," she noted, glancing back up at the radar. Roberts was giving up, evidently not as crazy as Riddick. Her forehead creased as she thought of something, pulling up another monitor as she typed. "Um, Roberts is falling into orbit," she warned. "Autopilot just kicked in at 500 kph."

"Gravitational spiral?" Riddick asked.

"No. He's waiting, not going to sleep." Riddick swore, and Chikage returned to the weather maps. They'd have to worry about Roberts later. "Impact. The eyewall just hit the landing strip." She stared up at the ceiling of the ship suddenly, as the turbulence kicked in. Riddick cut a hole through the clouds, and the ship dropped, making her stomach lurch before kicking in a gain. Riddick increased the thrusters as she cruiser shook back and forth in the winds, rain splattering angrily on the window. "Riddick…" she trailed off, not really having anything to say. The muscles in his arms clenched, casting artful shadows along his skin as he struggled to control the spacecraft despite the winds. "Microburst imprint. Five kilometers north, two kilometers west," she informed, gasping as he struggled to steer away from it only to swerve violently to the right. "Landing strip is fifteen kilometers northwest." Her heart was thumping so wildly in her chest she thought it might leap out and break the window, her ribs already aching. Her breath came in short, sporadic gasps. "Ten kilometers north northeast." If it was possible, her heart rate increased the closer the landing strip came, Riddick bouncing to either side of it. "Five kilometers west northwest. Riddick, you're gonna miss it!" she yelped, her fingers tightening on her chair. "Two kilometers. One kilometer. Riddick?" At the last minute, he banked hard, sliding swiftly into the channel holding the landing strip, metal groaning as the ship slid across the tarmac, thrusters screaming as they struggled to reverse as the cruiser darted into a cave. The craft ground to a screeching halt and all was quiet, save both Riddick and Chikage's quick pants. They looked at each other, and started laughing.


	12. Chapter 12

Lifeline

Chapter 12

"So what now?" Chikage asked, taking a deep breath to slow her heart rate. She turned toward him when he didn't answer.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "Hang out here for a while, I guess." She nodded, folding her hands in her lap. "Can you tell from down here if Roberts is still up there or not?" She shook her head slightly.

"Once we got under the clouds the radar went out. My guess is interference from the storm, meaning we disappeared off his radar too." Riddick nodded thoughtfully. "He probably thinks we're dead."

"I don't know about that," Riddick warned. "He was smart enough to hang back once we made it clear we were landing no matter what. Something tells me he's too smart to just assume that only because we disappeared from his radar. My guess is he knows it was interference."

"So what do we do?" she asked. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Hang out for a couple days. Make him think we're staying. He's not gonna chance a landing unless he has a clear window." Her eyebrow rose. "Wait him out."

"And the girl?" Riddick's jaw clenched, but she waited for an answer.

"We can start working out a tentative plan in the mean time. Have something before we get there," he decided with a small nod. "Tweak it if we have to do much surveillance." She watched his hands close around the controls again. "Let's get this bad boy down there, huh?" He taxied forward until a light blinked red before them, then powered the engines down. She jumped as a loud metallic groan echoed through the cabin, the system locking in their ship. They started moving forward slowly, gradually going deeper underground.

"How tight is security down here?" she asked. He glanced at her quickly. "Hey, just because I know the name of the planet and what to expect from it doesn't mean I've actually been here before."

"There is no security. It's a safe haven for people like us." She nodded. "Picked it for the weather. Planet's got its own security system."

"Only people with a reason to run would chance the landing," she finished, watching the lines of blinking lights whiz past them. The lights slowed, and they both lurched forward as the system came to a sudden halt, lowering them to the ground slowly.

"You hungry?" he asked, guiding the ship to an open docking pad. She nodded, not realizing until he asked just how hungry she really was. It occurred to her she'd not eaten since before Marcus and Amy— "Get cleaned up," he instructed. "No rush now." She nodded, releasing her harness and exiting the cockpit noiselessly. He sat there for a moment, his mind replaying the recent events.

---

The shower turned on again, and she ran a comb through her hair, still clutching her towel around her body. It was so much easier to deal with after a good conditioning – less tangles, less fuss. She smiled. If someone didn't know better they'd think she was a primp, but it was all about practicality. She liked her hair long, and the only way she could get a comb through it was with leave-in conditioner. Nothing fancy, just detangler. Hell, she didn't even use mirrors half the time. She pulled it into her usual wet ponytail and gathered it over her shoulder, working it into a thick, tight braid. The towel dropped, and she dressed quickly, hearing the shower slow to a trickle and then stop. He emerged from the shower with a towel wrapped around his hips, pausing to watch her tighten the laces of her boot around her shins, tying them off in a neat bow. Her black leather skirt hitched up her thigh as she lifted her other leg, sliding her foot into her other boot before propping it up on the edge of the bed, tying it up slowly. A lazy smile worked its way to his lips as she straightened, adjusting the short skirt before reaching for the holster. He disappeared into his quarters before she turned around.

"Hey Riddick?" He grunted, sliding on a pair of black cargos and a black tee shirt. "Think we even need guns?" His eyebrow rose, and he grabbed his boots before crossing the hallway to her room. She held a pistol in her hands, gazing at it. He took the opportunity to really take her in at the moment.

"Yeah, probably," he answered, letting his eyes slide slowly over her body. The skirt clung to her hips, flaring out only slightly to allow her to move. The matching black leather tank mimicked a corset, the cleavage barely peeking over the square neckline drawing even the most casual of gazes. "You're just all about the black leather, aren't you?"

"It just screams 'don't fuck with me'," she answered, wrapping the belt around her and fastening it so it hung loosely about her hips.

"You gonna wear those ankle contraptions tonight?" Her eyebrow rose, a smirk passing quickly over her lips, gone as soon as it came, and she shook her head. "No? Damn." She glanced at him.

"A little overkill, don't you think?"

"Maybe," he said, licking his lips. "But it would definitely scream 'don't fuck with me'." That prompted a lingering smile.

"A girl never reveals all her tricks during her first appearance," she said with a sly gleam in her eyes. The smile faded, and she dropped the gun into the unoccupied holster, snapping it into place. "I don't know what to expect here, Riddick."

"Bunch of cons," he said, bending down to pull on his boots. "They'll look, but if you stay with me they won't touch."

"So all of a sudden you're _my_ bodyguard then, is that it?" He glanced up at her, but she was busying herself with makeup.

"Better safe than sorry, I guess," he said with a shrug, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Unless you want to take the chance on having to get nasty to get the point across."

"What makes you think I'd have to get nasty just to get the point across that I can kick any of their asses without blinking?" she asked, applying a thick line of black eyeliner.

"They're cons, Chi. You'd be a challenge, not a threat," he insisted. She turned back to him, looking like something out of a dominatrix catalogue.

"I've got my scary face on," she said flatly. She even had the 'don't fuck with me' stare down to a science. "If something happens to me, don't intervene," she warned. "It'll make me look vulnerable, like I need you to protect me, and that's setting me up." He nodded, looking her over again. The only she was wearing that wasn't black were the chrome slides on her guns. "You compromise me, Riddick," she paused, "and I _will_ pull a gun on you."

"You don't have to prove anything, Chikage," he said gently. Her eyebrow rose.

"No, _you_ don't have to prove anything. You're one of them and have the shine job to prove it." His jaw clenched as he kept his anger in check. "They won't bother with you because you'll walk in already having proven yourself. Me?" She glanced down at herself. "I'm just fresh meat." She cocked her head to the side as a challenge, and he had to admit she had a point.

"Fine. But you know I'll step in if I think you need it," he said.

"You better be damn sure I need it if you do," she warned. The soft rubber soles of her boots barely made a sound as she walked past him into the hallway.

"I take it you're ready to go then?" He never got a reply, so he just followed her instead.

They walked side by side, even strides. Her black trench coat trailed slightly behind her, giving any onlookers a clear view of her hardware. He glanced down at her and nodded toward a storefront, and she pulled a pair of green tinted sunglasses from her pocket. He vaguely recognized them from the house, but she didn't power them on. She walked in first, pushing both doors open as she went, and Riddick let her make her entrance. The conversations in the bar stopped as she paused just inside the inner most doors, glancing around the restaurant for an open table, and at least 30 pairs of eyes focused on her. Riddick appeared behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder at him before nodding toward a booth in the back. Her steps resumed, and he followed, letting her take the seat against the wall. A thin waitress approached them, laying down two napkins before pulling a pad of paper and a pencil from her apron.

"Two beers," Chikage said, already reaching for the saltshaker. The waitress nodded, watching with interest as Chikage sprinkled a little bit of salt onto each of the napkins on the table.

"Anything to eat?" the girl asked, glancing quickly at Riddick.

"Steak," he said. "Rare. No sauce." She nodded, turning her gaze back to Chikage.

"French fries with cheese and bacon." The girl smiled, nodding as she wrote.

"It'll be up in a minute," she said. "Right back with the beers." Riddick leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table.

"If I didn't know better," he said, lowering his voice, "I'd think you were compromising my status." She let out a light laugh, shaking her head as she shrugged her trench from her shoulders, standing just enough to slide it out from under her to pile it on the seat beside her. He watcher her scan the bar – it couldn't really be considered a restaurant – and size up the crowd. Her eyes lingered on a set of pool tables in a corner, and he made a mental note. Chikage took a slow sip from the bottle of beer the waitress had just set in front of her, and Riddick followed suit. "Tell me something, Chi," he said quietly. Her eyebrow twitched upwards quickly. "You get off on the whole badass bitch façade, don't you?"

"What makes you think it's a fucking façade?" she returned, taking another sip. He clicked his tongue at her.

"I know you, remember?" he chided. Her face darkened.

"No, Riddick," she said, "you don't. You _knew_ me, yes. But things changed since then. The last time you showed up was nine years ago." Riddick sighed. _So that's what it was_, he thought. _She's pissed off I was so fucking flightly. Well, she should know better than to take it personally_.

"Look, you and I both know I couldn't have stuck around. The trail was hot, and I took one hell of a chance even coming to you that once," he snapped, leaning back as he took another swig. "Don't make it sound like I fucking deserted you because we both know that's not true." She smiled, but her eyes told him it wasn't sincere.

"Oh, so that's what you think this is about," she mused. "That's funny." She glanced up at the waitress walking toward them, a plate in each hand. "Could I get a pack of Kreteks please?" she asked.

"Sure thing," the girl said with a smile. "Specials or Blacks?"

"Specials. Regular pack, not one of the skimpy ass baby packs." The girl chuckled and nodded, reaching into her apron again to produce the pack of clove cigarettes.

"Matches?" Chikage nodded, taking the items from the girl. Riddick waited, watching as a brown cigarette was deposited between her lips before taking the matches and striking one. Chikage leaned forward, letting him light her up, and then leaned back again, exhaling a thick swirl of smoke. He tossed the book of matches back onto the table and picked up a fork.

"Your fries are gonna get cold," he commented, slicing into his steak with a pleased rumble in his chest. The corners of her lips turned upwards slightly as the blood ran out of the meat, pooling at the middle of the plate.

"That's the point," she said. "Like 'em better that way." His eyebrow rose as he lifted a chunk to his mouth, and she watched as his lips closed around it, a grin sliding in behind it. He watched her watch the room as he ate and she smoked, the conversation halted for the time being. He finished eating, and she finished smoking, only to start eating.

"What's funny about it?" he finally said, waiting purposely until her mouth was full. Her eyes glinted, knowing his timing was intentional, but smiled anyway. She couldn't help it.

"Just that you thought I'd be fucking cling wrap like that," she mumbled through her fries, hoping to make him regret the timing of his question. His eyebrow rose, but she continued anyway. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I never waited around for you. Not once." She got no read from his eyes or his body language. "You should know better than to question my understanding of the situation." _He's a fucking statue_. "I was actually pissed when you showed up as soon as you did." She paused, staring at the ceiling ponderingly. "Actually, I was pissed that you showed up period."

"And why's that?" _Ha! The sarcasm in the voice trick. Got to you, didn't I?_

"Well, for one, you had tails." The statue expression again. "You could have compromised me. And two, you dredged up memories I'd tried hard to forget."

"And what memories would those be?" he pressed. Her face clearly showed her emotion, all anger.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she snapped, voice intended to be menacing. He just knew her too well to fall for it.

"See," he said, propping his head up on an arm as he leaned against the tabletop. "I can think of several. But the way you reacted back on the ship when you got back from the hardware store makes me think you regret getting involved with me back in the day." She blinked, pausing her chewing. After processing his words, she finished her mouthful and took a breath, sighing instead of speaking.

"I don't regret anything I've done in my entire life, Riddick." She paused, averting his eyes. "Well, one thing, but it had nothing to do with you or the team." His eyebrow rose.

"How much shit did you catch for taking that one for me?" he asked gently. She snickered.

"I didn't. By the time I got out of the hospital they'd forgotten all about it and were glad to finally have a good sniper back." Riddick smirked. "But that's not what I was talking about."

"What do you regret then?" he urged. "The one thing. What is it?"

"Failing Marcus and Amy," she said quietly, tossing the fry she'd considered eating back onto her plate to opt for a long gulp of her beer.

"You didn't fail them," he said slowly, brows furrowing. She shook her head, holding up a hand to signal the end of the conversation.

"Not here," she whispered. He nodded, watching her reach across the table to take the matches out of his reach.

"So why the reaction?" She sighed.

"There's a lot of reasons, Riddick," she answered quietly. "I really don't feel like getting into it right now."

"Look at me, Chi," he demanded softly. Her eyes met his intense gaze. "You know how I am." She nodded. "No strings means no risk." Another smaller nod. He paused, trying to think of a way to force himself to say the words he was thinking. "Is that what this is about?"

"Not right now, Riddick." He swallowed, then nodded, watching her inspect the cigarette between her fingers. The waitress walked by again, crouching next to the table.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said with an apologetic smile. "I just wanted to let you know the guy in the corner offered to pay your bill, is that okay with you?" Riddick glanced over her head at the man and grinned.

"Yeah, it's fine. He owes me anyway." She nodded and thanked them before heading off to another table. Chikage's eyebrow rose, but he shook his head, and she noticed the man stand. She unsnapped a pistol and slid into the corner of the booth, stretching her legs out on the rest of the bench. The man walked over with a wide grin, and Riddick matched it, reaching out to take the man's hand in a firm handshake.

"Been a while, bubba," the man drawled. Chikage kept her scary face intact.

"James, this is Taylor, an associate of mine." Chikage nodded up at the man in the manner she'd perfected back at Marcus' club.

"Taylor," James acknowledge with a gentlemanly nod of his own. "Somethin' tells me you could round up better company than this guy over here." She smiled slightly, refusing to break from her character.

"So what's new Jimmy?"

"Eh," he man snorted, glancing back at his table. Chikage tilted her head to follow his gaze. A woman the same proportions as he sat there, keeping two boys on a leash as she smoked. "Got rugrats now," he said with a shrug. Riddick's eyebrows rose. "Met a nice lady that works at the liquor store down the street shortly after I got here," he said with a wink. Riddick chuckled.

"She one of us?"

"Not really," James said with a shrug, pausing to spit into the beer bottle he carried. "Did some time over at Orphea minor." Riddick nodded. "She had a fraud ring going on Parius for a while and got cocky."

"And you're not worried." Riddick posed it as a comment, not a question.

"Nah," James replied, grinning. "She straightened up when she realized she couldn't pull a scam here without gettin' her ass pounded." Chikage fought a smirk. "And yourself?"

"Just passin' through," Riddick said quietly, glancing at Chikage.

"Yeah, I heard someone pulled in when the eyewall was passing. Only a crazy motherfucker would do that, so I figured it was you," James said. "Y'all be careful, got it? Word has it there's a bulletin out on you bigger than you could imagine, Rick, and I'd be damned sneaky anywhere but here."

"Anywhere but here," Chikage repeated with a small laugh.

"You got nothin' to worry about, Taylor," James said with an honest smile. "We saw you burst in here like you did and knew not to mess with you." She sent Riddick a knowing glare, and he only smirked. "And then Rick walked in behind you and it was all over."

"Yeah, I told him to keep his distance so people wouldn't think we were together, but he just wouldn't listen," she quipped. "Never fucking listens." James let out a boisterous laugh, and Riddick scowled.

"Now, you got a good one here, Rick," he said. "See, Taylor, everyone here knows Rick somehow, either did time with him or knows of him, you know." Her eyebrow rose, and James scratched his beard thoughtfully. "Actually, it was probably a good idea, now that you mention it. You show off your dominance and people don't get to thinkin' you need a protector."

"I tried to tell him that," she said.

"I just let you think you talked me into it," Riddick said quietly, his lips curling upwards a twitch. She only smirked at him. "If anything, I need _her_ to protect _me_," he added with a wink to James.

"There's one thing I've learned in my years," James said, "and that is never to mess with an armed female in black leather." Chikage didn't fight the grin. "Especially gorgeous ones, 'cause the gorgeous ones are always twice as dangerous," he added. "I'd watch yourself if I were you, Rick," he said with a laugh, glancing back at his family over his shoulder. "Well, y'all take care." Riddick nodded before finishing off his beer. He raised his eyebrows at Chikage, and she nodded, gathering her coat as she stood, following him out as she made a show of adjusting the holster around her hips. __


	13. Chapter 13

Lifeline

Chapter 13

"Taylor, huh?" Chikage glanced up from her book as Riddick appeared in the library doorway. He shrugged.

"Spur of the moment," he mumbled. She nodded, her eyes returning to a philosophy book she'd picked out. "You just sit around and read that shit?"

"You've got it sitting on your shelves, what's that say about you?" she returned, glancing at him quickly as he flopped onto the other couch, letting out a monstrous sigh.

"I'm not picky about the books I put in my library?" A small chuckle, but she wasn't really paying attention. The room buzzed with friction, and she soon snapped the book shut with a frustrated sigh, suddenly glad she'd changed into her pajamas already.

"Do you remember Justin Marks?" she asked quietly, draping her forearm over her eyes.

"Yeah. What about him?" She swallowed, stifling a groan. The room fell silent again for a while, Chikage jiggling a foot back and forth on the armrest under her ankles.

"You know when you appeared that one day?" He turned his head toward her. "I told you I didn't want to have to…" she trailed off, shaking her head.

"You told me you couldn't take the risk," he finished quietly.

"After you left the Ops, Justin and I…" she trailed off again, hearing the sofa creak as he sat up. She moved her arm, rubbing her eyes before covering them with a hand. "He didn't think we could help you at the time. Both of us were trying to build a life—"

"Together," Riddick interjected. She sighed.

"Don't do this, Riddick," she pleaded.

"Do what?"

"I loved Justin," she said weakly. "I always did, and you always knew it."

"And?" She bit her lip.

"Anyway, I started working detail for Marcus a year after they killed him. I happened to be out on a job, and I came back and found him." Riddick sighed, leaning back into the fluff of the couch. "I grabbed what I could and got the fuck out because I knew I had to." She shook her head. "I didn't truly understand what it was like to be you until then."

"You'll never understand what it's like to be me." His voice held an edge to it she'd not heard before, but she couldn't look at him.

"I didn't miss you until you showed up. Just that one fucking time, you had to show up," she whispered.

"What are you saying?"

"I don't know what the fuck I'm saying!" she snapped, staring at him for a moment before retreating behind her forearm again. "Justin knew about me and you, did you know that?" He didn't answer. "He never blamed me."

"He blamed me instead."

"No, he blamed himself," she corrected. "He always knew he couldn't be what I wanted or needed him to be, but he tried anyway." Riddick shook his head, closing his suddenly tired eyes. "I loved him the best I could, and it still wasn't good enough for me, but I stuck around."

"Look, if this is your version of the commitment speech, you can save it," Riddick shot. "You know I can't do commitment. I can't promise to take care of anyone because I don't know if I'll be alive two seconds from now. I'm not willing to take the chance I'll start caring about someone again and fuck up their lives all over again when something happens to me." Her arm lifted, and she stared at him in shock. "I'm not an emotional human being, Chi, and you can't change that no matter how hard you try, and no matter how many lectures you make me sit through."

"Don't fucking kid yourself, Riddick," she snapped, standing with the sudden anger at him for coming off as though he blamed her. "What you and I had was nothing more than physical. You're a friend, and I care about you. But I never loved you, and I doubt I ever could, so don't get all pissy on me for thinking about what I do before I do it. I don't regret what we had, and I never will. But just because I wouldn't change that doesn't mean I suddenly want to be your fucking flavor of the month." He blinked, jaw clenching. "You wanted to know why I brushed you off? I'll tell you. Every time someone touches me, every time someone gets close enough I can feel their breath on me, I think of Justin. And every time I think of Justin I kick my _own_ ass for sticking with it and making him think we could make something of it even though _I_ knew, and I think _both_ of us knew it wouldn't work no matter how much we loved each other. I hate myself for that, Riddick. Don't blame me for watching out for my best interest, even if I have to reject you in the process, because until that demon's gone, it'll never fucking happen, no matter how hard you try to push me."

She was screaming now, her legs trembling under her. "When push comes to shove it's always number one, right Riddick? You can't let someone in because you can't stand the thought of tearing them up if and when something goes wrong. You're taking the same chance I am. You're risking being alone for the rest of your goddamn life. I'm risking being alone for the rest of my fucking life because I can't stand the thought of taking the chance I'll have to pretend things will work out just so I won't be alone. I'd rather not remember what it's like to be with someone just so being alone all the time doesn't hurt so fucking much. Don't you _dare_ blame me when you're doing the same fucking thing." She stared at him as he stared back at her, surprised at her sudden outburst, and she threw her hands in the air as she spun away from him, finally clasping them behind her head.

"Feel better?" he asked after a hesitant pause.

"No." Her voice held an obvious pout. "I feel worse." She sighed, dropping her hands to rest on her hips as he continued to stare at the ground. "I hate you, Riddick." He still didn't say anything. "I hate you for giving me a taste of what I always wanted but could never have." She shook her head, biting a thumbnail. "I wanted you just as you were. Never wanted to change you or tame you…" she trailed off with a sigh. "I mean, let's face it, Riddick. We're perfect for each other but completely incompatible." He couldn't help but chuckle, deciding to flop back onto the couch. "I'm, uh…" she gestured toward the door. "I'm gonna go wash my face and go to bed." She didn't wait for him to nod before she started down the steps, holding her stomach as she doubled over slightly, her eyes burning. Black sludge swirled down the drain, and she let the water drip from her chin for a moment as she stared at her reflection, finally drying off and shuffling down the hallway. He was turning down his sheets as she started to go into her room, pausing instead to look at him. "Who is she, Riddick?" He glanced up at her, walking to the door to lean against the frame.

"A second chance."

"At what?"

"Being a person again," he answered quietly. She smiled weakly with a small nod, fidgeting with the drawstring on her pants. "I never blamed you, Chi," he said gently. "I never blamed anyone. We did what we did, and shit happened after that. It's how life goes. You get through it and move on."

"Riddick, you can't be a person again if you won't let yourself experience your own emotions again."

"I can't do that with a price on my head." He sounded let down, and she glanced up at him from under furled brows.

"Yes you can," she whispered. "Marcus did," she said with a weak smile. "And I did." He swallowed.

"Why'd you take that bullet for me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Because I felt like I had to." He shook his head in confusion. "And I owe you another one some time."

"You never had to, and you shouldn't have even if you did have to."

"We were like family, Riddick," she said quietly. "You did the same for me twice, and I never felt like I had the right to question it."

"I don't have the right but I'm doing it anyway." She smiled faintly.

"I trusted my emotions, Riddick. I wasn't squaring things, and I wasn't doing you a favor. I did what I had to do for me," she explained.

"I don't understand that," he admitted.

"Neither do I, but I'm okay with that." She gave his arm a squeeze and turned, but his hand closed over hers, holding her to him. His eyes questioned hers, but she shook her head slowly. He swallowed and took a breath, but paused for a moment. She let him wrap his arms around her into a tight embrace, and her arms looped over his shoulders as he lifted her off the ground against him. "I don't want to be alone tonight," he whispered against the side of her neck, shaking his head slightly. Her cheek quivered just enough for her to feel it without it being visible.

"I do," she whispered back. He inhaled sharply, holding it for a moment before nodding, lowering her back to the ground and retracting his arms. She stared up at him for a moment, eyes slightly saddened, before she turned and slid under her covers. A few seconds later, she heard his sheets ruffle, and she let a tear break free.

"You think we have enough?" he asked quietly, staring into the munitions locker for the hundredth time today. She glanced up at him for a moment before returning to the computer with a shrug. "I know I said not to get enough to raise eyebrows, but I was planning on stopping a few places before and spreading everything out. I didn't know that place would be so open."

"If you think we need more, it's better safe than sorry," she said quietly, eyes narrowing to focus on the small font on her monitor. "We can get more." He nodded, pursing his lips as he thought. "Is there someplace here?"

"I don't know," he answered. She nodded, closing the program she was in to do a quick search.

"So that James guy last night…" she trailed off, and he glanced up at her, watching her continue to stare at the monitor.

"What about him?"

"You two go way back?"

"Not really," he said with a shrug, lowering himself into the pilot's chair. "I did a favor for him back in slam. Probably why he bought last night. Paying me back, I guess."

"A favor?" Riddick sighed, and her eyes left the computer screen to focus on him.

"You knew me as someone I'm not anymore," he said quietly. "And Jimmy knew me as someone I'm not any more."

"You're just all kinds of change, aren't you?" Her attention returned to her search just as he looked up at her angrily. "Makes sense," she said with a shrug. "You gotta be a certain kind of person to stay in your superiors' good graces, gotta be a certain kind of person to stay alive in slam." She swiveled her chair around to face him. "Who do you have to be right now, Riddick?" He continued staring out the front window, reclined in his chair, arms folded behind his head.

"The hero." Her brows furrowed. "I was the obedient soldier for the superiors. The go to but don't cross guy in slam." He shook his head, letting his eyes close as he licked his lips. "I'm not a soldier or an inmate anymore."

"So why the hero?" His eyes opened again, staring up at the ceiling as his jaw tightened, muscles tensing in a rhythm.

"I always end up being the hero for Jack," he said quietly, voice strained. "She thought she fooled everyone. Dressing like a guy, talking like a guy. Gave herself a guy's name so people wouldn't know." He smirked, but it was waning. "Never did find out her real name. Fuckin' fourteen years old, and she's needed a hero four times now. Always been me, and always will be."

"Thought you couldn't promise to take care of someone," Chikage said softly.

"There's a difference here," he said flatly. "I'm the hero when I have to be. It's not like I'm just gonna let her stay with me so she won't ever need a hero. I get her safe and leave until she needs saving again. That's how it works."

"Why didn't you ever find someplace for the both of you to stay safe?" she asked quietly.

"I'm not the settling down type," he snickered. "And knowing her, she'd take it the wrong way." He shook his head. "No, I could never just stay in one place. I go where the tides take me, you know? Hopping around all over the place muddies the trail. Makes it harder to be found unless I want to be."

"They think you're dead, Riddick. You died in that crash, remember?" He sat up in his seat, leaning toward her as his eyes flashed angrily.

"Who the fuck do you think set up that goddamn crash, huh? Company new I was on that transport. Johns called it in, just like the good little merc he thought he was. Thirty-nine people died because I was on that fucking ship and Company wanted me dead. They took the fall meant for me." She blinked. "You and I both know they don't take the chance on leaving any loose ends. They would have sent a search team, and maybe they figured out the hard way that the natives liked human flesh. But they wouldn't just assume I was dead because of it. They'd be goddamn sure before they'd cut me loose." His hard stare remained on her for a moment before he settled back into his chair, popping his neck before returning to his previous pose. She watched him for a moment, letting the words sink in before returning to her computer. _They're holding Jack to get to him, Chikage. They have to think he's alive or they wouldn't chance it._ She stifled a sigh, doing a news search for anything relating to the Hutner-Gratzner. All that was returned were the standard headlines – Missing Transport, 42 Die in Crash, Riddick Dies in Transport Mishap. Her brows knitted in concentration. She'd have to wait until they were back in the shipping lanes before she could do the search she really wanted to do.

"When do you plan on leaving?" she asked quietly.

"Tomorrow. We're going out tonight to get more ammo and to party one last time." Her eyebrow rose, and he glanced at her. "Just in case." A stiff nod, and she left the room.


	14. Chapter 14

Lifeline

Chapter 14

Chikage slid her trench coat on, pausing to unhook the corner of the collar that decided to wiggle its way under the strap of her shoulder holsters, giving it an exasperated glower. She'd opted for pants this time, rather than the short skirt she'd worn the previous night, which had gotten quite a few unsettling stares. This way, too, she could keep a knife hidden in a boot for backup. It made her nervous that Riddick carried a gun when he went out. He never packed, almost always opting for a few shivs placed in well-hidden and accessible locations. The fact that he would carry, and openly, made her really wonder about the safety of this place sometimes. She dropped to the ground, keeping her steps slow to give him time to lock up without having to hurry to catch her.

"Listen to me," he said quietly. She rolled her eyes mentally. _Every time he says that it means there's no argument. _"The place we're going isn't somewhere you need to insist on proving yourself. It's rough."

"How rough?"

"I've got three extra clips handly," he said, patting a pocket on his cargos. Her eyebrow rose. "There's someone there I need to talk to before we can do this, so don't try to look tougher than you think you can be if push comes to shove." She swallowed. "If we look together, you'll be fine." She nodded slightly, glancing at him intermittently as they continued to walk.

As they entered the club, she instantly wished she'd opted for a long sleeve shirt instead of the midriff tank she wore as hungry eyes settled on her. The looks she got last night were creepy enough, but these glares were openly lewd. She forced herself to wrap a hand around Riddick's arm, pressing closer to him while seeming to just be avoiding bumping into people around them. He led her to the bar and leaned against the counter, untwining his arm from her grasp to replace it tightly around her waist, his fingers curling around her hip. The bartender raised his eyebrows at them, casting Chikage the same glances everyone else in the bar had, before focusing his eyes on Riddick. The man's smirk fell at Riddick's expression, which was intended to make the man rethink looking over the woman on his arm. Bartender nodded, and Riddick glanced at Chikage.

"What are you having, babe?" The term of endearment rolled off his tongue as though he called her that all the time, and she flashed him a charming smile, though he caught the nervousness in her eyes.

"The usual," she said, twitching up an eyebrow as he blinked. _Point me_, she thought. _Play it, **babe**_.

"Apple fizz for her and a beer for me." She stifled a snicker. The bartender nodded and turned to start the drinks. "So it really is the name of a drink, huh?" She shrugged, leaning a little harder into him without coming off as though she was trying to hide in him. His arm remained around her, even as their drinks were set in front of him. She lifted her glass to her lips and turned slightly, her feet straddling one of his legs as she pressed against his side, raising her arm over him to rest a hand on his shoulder. She felt rather than heard the low growl and glanced up at him sharply, following his glare to a man straddling a chair, openly staring at her. Riddick's eyebrow rose slowly, and the man looked away.

"Don't start taking this too seriously," she said quietly, her lips almost touching his ear. "Someone might take it as a challenge, and I don't deal too well with people treating me like property." He took a swig of beer to hide his smile. "Fighting over a female might work for moose, but I won't put up with it."

"Might have to," he said, cocking his head at her. Her eyes narrowed up at him, but he said no more, only lifting his bottle to his lips again with a lingering smile.

"Better be careful, _sweetie_," she warned. "I might just have to leave you here by yourself to play with the big boys on your own." He sent her a sharp glare. "Think you could handle yourself without backup?" His fingers dug into her side as a caution not to push him any more. She only laughed and took another small sip of her drink. "They're better at home," she said to her drink, swirling the liquid around in the bottom of her glass.

"We can stop on the way back and get you some," he said, returning his gaze to the expanding crowd. They'd been here maybe ten minutes and she already felt like she needed a scalding shower. He nudged her with his hip and nodded toward the back of the bar towards a group of pool tables. "Let's play." She nodded, a little confused, and let him guide her, still locked to his side, through the bar. It was suddenly cold as he left her to collect two pool ques, holding one out to her. She watched him rack the balls up and chalk his que, nodding to her. "You break."

They played for at least a half hour before a group of people gathered to watch, Riddick eyeing them as they watched Chikage. She sunk the eight ball and wiggled her eyebrows at him, not daring to look at anyone else.

"Mind if I play the winner?" she heard someone ask. She turned around, watching Riddick eye her before nodding slightly. A brow twitched downward, but he gave her a barely-there shake of the head, and she shrugged.

"Let's see what you got," she said cheerfully, chalking up. She figured this was the guy he'd come to meet with, but what was with the pool? Riddick leaned against a nearby bar stool and watched, smirking at every one of the glares she sent his way. She was so pissed the game went quickly, this new guy not having much of a chance. At one point, she sent the que ball spinning harder than necessary, and it skipped the table, Riddick only barely catching it before it smacked into his package. His eyebrow rose, but he only handed it to her without a word. He wasn't sure it'd been completely intentional anyway, but he wouldn't have been surprised. And it wasn't like he could have done anything about it right now. The man laughed as she dropped the eight ball again.

"I always sucked at pool," he said with a shrug. "But this one," he continued, nodding at Chikage. "Musta been a geometry major or something."

"Nah," Riddick drawled with a wide grin as she returned to him, letting him turn her around and pull her between his knees, wrapping his arms around her waist. Her hands rested on his thighs loosely as she leaned back against him. "She's just pissed off at me for sharing." She dug her fingers in quickly before reaching for her drink. The man's eyebrows rose, and Riddick chuckled. When the spectators realized another game wouldn't be played any time soon, they started clearing out slowly.

"I'm gonna go get another drink, guys," the man said. "Mind if I come back and socialize?" Chikage opened her mouth to tell him off, but Riddick squeezed her around the middle.

"Sure, man," Riddick said with a nod. She watched the man walk away and started to wriggle out of Riddick's grasp, but he tightened her hold on her, pulling her back tightly against his chest, lowering his head to her ear. "Take it easy," he crooned, still smiling. "Just because I know the guy and trust his information doesn't mean the act can disappear." She relaxed a little. "Other people are watching, and we have to fool him, too." She nodded slightly, and he planted a kiss on her shoulder quickly, just as the man returned.

"I'm Blaine," the man said, sticking out a hand. Riddick shook hit, and Chikage kept her hands where they were. "Never figured you for a settle down type, Rick," he continued, letting his eyes sweep down Chikage's body. Riddick's eyebrow rose, the jealous glare put back in place.

"Never figured I'd meet someone I trusted enough," he replied. Blaine nodded, leaning back against the pool table, a gesture of conceding as he put more distance between the couple.

"Well, knowing you, she can hold her own." Her eyebrow rose, and she tilted her head to the side, baring her neck to Riddick. "I doubt you'd pick out a Mary Sue." Riddick sighed, turning his head to look out at the bar, signaling he was running out of patience. "Alright, man," Blaine said with a nod. He crossed the room, leaning against the counter next to Riddick, blocking most of the view of the bar. He reached into his pocket, and Chikage kept her eyes on his hands. Riddick adjusted his arm, and Chikage felt the snap on her holster give. Blaine pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and set them on the counter. "Port H12," he instructed. "Locker 238. The stuff's there." Riddick nodded, nudging Chikage's arm. She reached out and snatched the keys from the table, quickly tucking them into Riddick's back pocket as she kept her eyes on Blaine. He only smiled, nodding once before walking away. Chikage leaned back against Riddick's chest as the energy left her. He nuzzled the back of her neck for a moment, finally placing a kiss there and giving her thigh a gentle smack.

"Let's get outta here." She let him up, popping her neck as he took her hand, leading her out of the bar. Eyes bored into her back, and she fought a shudder, focusing intently on the front door to the bar. She took a huge breath of fresh air as they cleared the last pair of doors. "You okay?" he asked with an amused smile, throwing an arm around her shoulders as they walked back toward their ship.

"Where's the closest liquor store?" He let out a snort and gave her a quick squeeze before removing his arm and walking a little faster.

---

"From the looks of it, you are," Riddick said with a laugh. She glared at him.

"There's no point in _trying_ to get drunk," she slurred, leaning heavily against the table. "_Trying_ to get drunk only makes it happen faster. Don't get to enjoy the slow descent into defilement that way, so no, I am _not_ trying to get drunk." He shook his head, still chuckling as she took another shot of apple brandy. "Why aren't you drinking anything anyway? You paid for it." She wavered a bit, balanced precariously on the corner of the kitchen table.

"I never drink enough to get sloshed," he said quietly, staring down into the glass of water he held. "Can't afford to have a hangover."

"What, so now I'm reckless? Is that what you're saying?" she spat, throwing the bottle back again. "Just because I get drunk every now and then – unintentionally, mind you – that makes me careless?" His eyebrow rose. "I was in the army, god damn it." She set the bottle down with a clunk. "I'm expected to be a fuckin' lush." Riddick chuckled and crossed the room, taking her hand gently.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed," he said, still grinning. Her smile fell into a pout as he pulled her to her feet and looped an arm around her waist to steady her.

"But I don't wanna sleep it off," she whined. "It's a waste of a perfectly good stupor." He laughed lightly again, leading her through the kitchen to her quarters, grasping her shoulders as he sat her on the bed.

"You want to change?" he asked. She nodded, still sticking out her bottom lip in a childish sulk. "Where are your pajamas?"

"Top drawer," she said, struggling to reach the zipper on the back of her shirt. The drawer slid open and he cleared his throat, prompting a quick gasp from her as she turned to look at him. "No wait. That was at my apartment." He snickered, closing the drawer filled with bras. "They're in the bottom drawer." He tossed a pair of drawstring pants and one of those tanks with the stringy straps on the bed next to her, crossing his arms over his chest as he smirked, just watching her fight with the zipper. Finally, she sighed, dropping her arms and glaring up at him. "Well, if you're gonna smirk at my expense, at least help me while you're doing it." He grinned and reached out, grasping the zip and pulling it down. "Asshole." She let her head fall against his chest as she wriggled out of her shirt, letting it drop to the floor. He stood there for a moment, afraid that if he moved she'd crash to the floor. Finally, she righted herself, nearly overcompensating and falling backwards, but he caught her shoulder. She glanced at the shirt he laid out and then back up at him, her eyes crossing. He sighed.

"Okay," he said, lifting her arms to pull it over her head, thanking her for not getting one too tight for him to mess with.

"I don't think I can stand up," she said slowly, closing her eyes. "Well, maybe if the room stopped spinning."

"Not a good sign, babe," he said, pulling her to her feet again.

"Babe?" she asked, hurling her arms over his shoulders to help him keep her on her feet. "I thought we were done pretending." He didn't say anything, only worked the buttons on her jeans loose and pushed them over her hips. She sighed, clutching his shoulders as she kicked first one leg off an ankle and then the other. Her hands remained on his shoulders as he stooped to put her feet through the legs of her pajama pants and pull them up.  
"Tied?" She nodded, tying the drawstring in a bow as he watched her face, her blinks getting slower and less frequent. Her eyes squeezed shut tightly, and she buried her face in his chest as she wavered. "You okay?" She nodded against him. "Sure?" Another nod. "Okay." He started to move away from her to turn down the sheets, but her arms tightened around his neck, one hand settling on the back of his head.

"Stay with me," she whispered.

"What?" She lifted her head to look at him, hands unmoving.

"I don't want to be alone tonight." He took a breath and paused, watching her stare up at him nervously. Suddenly, he was caught in a dilemma. Stay with her like he so desperately wanted to, or give her a taste of her own medicine and say he did want to be alone. Her eyes fell away from his, and she nodded as she pulled away, slowly lowering herself to her bed. She slid under the sheets, rolling onto her side, facing away from him. He continued to stand there for a while, still considering his options. She felt the bed give, and the butterflies finally left her stomach alone. The sheets shifted, and she pressed back against his chest, his arm slowly sliding around her. "Thanks," she whispered. He nodded, his nose grazing the back of her neck to raise goose bumps on her skin. She sighed, twining her fingers in his as it became harder and harder to open her eyes after a blink.


	15. Chapter 15

Lifeline

Chapter 15

Chikage opened her eyes, then shut them again quickly as the headache set in. _God damn that brandy_, she thought with a groan. The bed jiggled, and her eyes opened again into little slits. Two silver orbs stared back at her in the darkness.

"What time is it?" she mumbled. She heard the sheets rustle as he turned to look at the clock, then again as he moved back to her.

"Early." She nodded, closing her eyes again. Somehow in the past few hours she'd managed to turn over and curl into his side under his arm, cradling her head on his shoulder as his hand rested lightly on her ribs. "You were snoring," he said quietly, the smile hidden by the darkness lilting his voice into a teasing tone. She snickered, more of a snort, and buried her face in his skin.

"Sorry?" His laugh rumbled through his chest, and until she realized it was him she thought the engines had been turned on. She shifted next to him, popping her ankles before throwing a leg between his, curling the arch of her foot under his calf. Her back arched as she stretched, and his thumb tucked under the hem of her shirt, rubbing slow circles into the small of her back. "So what's on the agenda for today?" she asked, cuddling against him to find another comfortable position.

"I'm gonna run out a little later and get some more hardware, and then we'll leave." She nodded against him, inhaling sharply as she stifled a yawn.

"You think we'll have an open window to take off or are you planning on pulling that shit on me again?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"I checked the maps. We'll have a forty-two minute window at 1200," he said with a smirk. She nodded, closing her eyes again.

"So what time is it?" she asked again. He felt her smile against his skin, and couldn't help but mirror it.

"0800," he answered. She sighed. "Go back to sleep," he said, dropping a kiss on her forehead. Her cheeks rose, marked by shallow dimples as she smiled lightly, blinking slowly. He waited until he was sure she was sound asleep before untangling himself from her limbs, taking a lingering glance at her sprawled in bed, her face totally relaxed. A light smile curved his lips as he turned and left the room silently.

He shuffled up the stairs into the cockpit, settling into what had become Chikage's seat. Her monitor buzzed to life as he pulled out the keyboard, entering his password for a file he didn't think she'd known about. It hadn't been accessed since last time he'd perused its contents, not like it really mattered. He'd have to show it to her eventually anyway. His brows knitted as the most recent picture he had of her appeared, blurry at first and then clearer. Green eyes stared back at him, full of emotion though it was only a photo. Her hair had had plenty of time to have grown out, but she'd kept it cropped short. He sighed, leaning back in the chair.

"So that's her, huh?" He started, his head snapping over his shoulder. Chikage was leaned against the wall, peering over his shoulder from the walkway at the computer screen. He stared at her for a moment before turning slowly back to the picture, nodding slowly. "I wondered why that file was locked."

"Thought that was a challenge to you," he said with a smirk, hearing his chair creak as she sat.

"I assumed you had it locked for a reason," she said with a shrug, leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling. "I respect you too much to go nosing around somewhere I don't belong." She smiled, then, still staring up at the ceiling. "And don't glance at me in that tone of voice." He laughed, turning toward her.

"I didn't lock it to keep you out, Chi," he said through a chuckle. "Unless you know how to encrypt the ship's IP address instead of just having it change itself every day I have to worry about other people trying to get into it."

"Because if they found that picture they'd know it was you," she surmised. He nodded, turning his attention back to the front window, even though he had the shade engaged. She watched his fingers as he closed the picture and opened another one, a small smile working its way to her lips.

"That's a good one," she said quietly. "I didn't know I was being watched, and that's not easy to do."

"I had a guy doing some intel for me." She nodded.

"I figured that's how you found me. I doubt you'd try the directory."

"You're not in it." She only smiled her response. "I didn't know if I'd recognize you."

"Did you?"

"You haven't changed a bit." His voice was a little rougher than usual, and she twisted her neck to look at him.

"My hair's longer." A snicker, and she smiled.

"I like it longer," he said, a smile remaining. It fell as she stood, stretching her arms overhead as she leaned backward. She recoiled with a gravelly moan.

"We make one hell of a team, you and I," she said quietly, her face unreadable. He blinked, watching her eyes linger on him as she turned. "I'm getting in the shower."

---

_What the hell are you thinking_? She sighed, wiping the fog from the mirror, staring at the face staring back at her. Her eyes closed, her head dropping to stare into the sink. _He's right you now,_ she scolded herself. _The closer you get, the more danger everyone involved becomes. You've got a mission right now. Don't forget that. _She shook her head, raising her eyes back to the mirror as she pulled a comb through her hair. Her eyes followed her movements as she parted the dark brown masses down the middle, then closed as she shook her head from side to side, the waves already bending the strands slightly.

As she opened the bathroom door, she heard the distinct sounds of feet bouncing in the dojo, broken by the creak of the chains holding up the punching bag, and she couldn't help but smile as she ducked into her room, dropping the towel to pull on a clean pair of cargos. The rumpled sheets prompted a memory flash, back to the snuggling so fresh in her mind. Her eyes closed and she inhaled, his scent still strong in the room.

"Why don't you ever wear it down?" She spun around, instinctively covering her chest, even though her hair covered her. He glanced down at her arms, then back up to her face, watching a slow blush creep into her cheeks. He cocked his head to the side, still waiting for an answer. She glanced at the towel she'd dropped on the floor, then back up at him.

"It gets in my way," she stammered. He blinked, glancing back down at her arms and up once more before he nodded, a small smirk trying to break through. She turned, reaching out for the small tee shirt she'd tossed on her bed, glancing over her shoulder at him before pulling it on, her back facing him. She pulled her hair through, letting it tumble over her shoulders as she turned back to him. "Why?" A shrug.

"Just wondered." Her eyebrow rose. "I'm gonna take a shower and then we'll go into town." She nodded, staring after him as he turned into the bathroom. After a moment to collect herself, she made the bed and pulled her boots on, tying them as he emerged from the bathroom. As he dressed, she went up to the cockpit lockers, tucking a small pistol into her boot. She heard him coming up the stairs and held out another pistol, and he took it gently from her fingers, tucking it in the back of his pants. "Let's make this a quick trip, huh?" She gave him a small nod and followed him through the door, falling into step next to him. They rounded a corner and he reached out, taking her hand and pulling gently to bring her closer to him. She shot him a quick glance, but his attention was focused on a group of men at the end of the street. He opened the door, holding it open for her as he continued to stare, finally following her in.

"We need three boxes of nines," she said quietly, propping up against the counter. The man standing there nodded, quickly producing the boxes.

"Step it up," Riddick whispered, leaning over her shoulder. She nodded, took the boxes, paid the man, and they were on their way. Her eyes questioned his when he tore his attention from the group as they left, and he shook his head. "Something doesn't feel right," he said quietly. Her eyebrow rose, and she glanced over her shoulder.

"They're following." He nodded, jaw clenching, and steered her down an alley.

"Listen to me." She nodded, feeling the bricks connect with her back. "Just play along." Her eyebrow rose. He glanced at the main street before slamming his lips against hers, crushing her body with his as he slid the straps of her backpack off her shoulders, the bag dropping behind her feet, hidden from view. She struggled at first, but he bit her lip, the glare in his eyes a reminder to play along for safety. Footsteps slowed, and then stopped before shuffling backwards as her arms looped around Riddick's neck, pulling him closer. The kiss slowed, then stopped as he risked a glance toward the street again, finally pushing away from the wall and giving her room to breathe again. She collapsed backwards, chest heaving, and he stooped to pick up her bag.

"What the fuck?" she finally managed. He shrugged.

"It was all I could think of," he said apologetically. "Figured they'd leave us alone if we were busy." She stared at him, and his fingers wound around her wrist, pulling her further into the alley as he handed her the bag.

"Whatever happened to just trying to lose someone?" she asked in a mumble. He glanced at her. The alleyway was too long and sparse, and the guys had been following too closely. She cleared her throat. "What do you think they wanted?"

"You," he said simply. Her steps halted, her wrist wrenched from his grasp, and she stared at him, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Me." Disbelief. A slow nod, and he reached out for her, but she backed away. His brows furled.

"Chikage, we have to go," he said firmly. She continued standing there, pulling away as he reached for her again. "God damn it, Chikage," he burst, "that window closes, _closes_ in an hour. We have to get back to the cruiser, power up, lock down, and go. Get your ass in gear _now._" She finally snapped out of it, following his hurried pace back to the port, climbing in before him with help from a quick boost. She locked the new ammo up, ran through the ship locking everything down as he powered up the engines, and strapped in just as he started taxiing back to the runway. He hit the thrusters and she called up the weather maps, a part of her satisfied to learn he'd not lied about the window. They'd only barely make it. His takeoff was flawless despite a strained silence, and he waited a while to switch over to autopilot. "Mind explaining that to me?" She gazed at him with a blank stare. "What the fuck happened back there?" A blink. He sighed. "Are you finally cracking up on me?" Her eyes lowered to her hands, still folded in her lap.

"No."

"Then what?" His voice took on a gentle, almost pleading tone.

"I was just surprised," she said quietly.

"That's all?" A small nod. "I don't believe you." Her eyes met his angrily.

"Then don't believe me," she snapped coldly. He sighed, crouching in front of her. "You could have warned me you know."

"I didn't have time to." He rested a chin on her knee, letting his head loll to the side as he stared up at her. She looked away quickly. "Talk to me." A quick glance at him, but nothing more. "Chi." A slight warning tone. She shook her head slowly, biting her lip. "Fine," he said, all emotion gone from his voice. "Your call." Her eyes closed as he left the room, her tongue darting out to taste him on her lips again.

---

He was back in the dojo, pounding away on the bag, knowing she'd entered without hearing her. He let off one more hard punch and turned, giving her a hard stare before returning to it, his punches softer as his mind ran over the exercise gear she'd changed into. Black yoga pants hugged the soft curves of the muscle stacking her body, the grey cropped tank exposing cut abs and strong arms hanging loosely at her sides. Her bare toes lifted and readjusted their position as she watched him, finally walking behind him. He paused, watching her pass him and snatch up a yoga mat and blocks, spreading it out on the floor.

"Music?" he asked quietly. She glanced up at him quickly, managing a small smile before nodding once. Her eyes closed as she centered herself, starting in a simple meditation pose. If she'd been concentrating as hard as she should have been, she wouldn't have heard him unroll another mat and drop two blocks next to it before settling down as well. Her eyes opened slowly, her head turning slightly to take him in as he sat in the same pose as she. A small smile, and she returned to center. She inhaled deeply, slowly, and stood. They spent an hour there, Chikage softly calling the poses and Riddick following. At the end of the session, they were both lying flat on their backs, both nearly asleep in relaxation. Finally, she sighed and rolled onto her side, staying there for a moment before standing and shutting off the music. He opened one eye to see her standing over him. She settled on her knees next to him, finally sliding onto her back with her head resting on his belly. A moment later, his fingers laced through her hair, and her eyes closed.

"How long till we get there?" she asked quietly after a beat.

"I'm not star-jumping, so probably another three days." She nodded. "Don't want to risk the trail."

"So what now?"

"I don't know."

"I'm too relaxed to do anything," she said with a small laugh, her head bouncing as he did the same. "I needed that."

"Yeah you did," he said emphatically, smiling with a small grunt as she elbowed him in the ribs.

"Can I tell you something?" His fingers paused in their worship of her hair.

"Sure."

"Back in the alley…" she trailed off and he sighed. "Too many memories," she continued, shaking her head. Her arm lifted her hand over her eyes, and she rubbed. "I didn't know how to react. I mean, I knew what was going on. Around us, you know. But it just all came back and took over." She paused. "Sorry."

"And now?"

"I wish you could have come up with something else," she answered quietly. He sat up, her head sliding into the bend at his hip. She felt him staring at her, and felt compelled to continue. "Now it's all I can think about." He leaned back on his hands, and she swiveled her head to look up at him. He was clearly mulling that over, and she smiled a little, not saying any more. His eyebrow rose.

"Am I supposed to say something after that?" She laughed, then heaved a sigh and rolled onto her side, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and giving a gentle squeeze.

"I don't know," she mumbled, burying her face in his stomach. "But if you did it again I don't know if I could handle it."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a fucking drug, Riddick," she groaned, pressing her face harder into him with a small groan. His fingers plunged into her hair again, massaging her scalp lightly.

"You're gorgeous, you know that?" he asked quietly, leaning back as she lifted her head slowly, brows slightly furrowed. She sat up, rubbing her forehead as her eyes squeezed shut tightly. A light touch on her shoulder brought her back, and she opened her eyes to find his inches away from her, staring down at her lips. "You are," he insisted, raising his eyes to meet hers with a small nod. She blinked, watching his eyes follow her tongue slide over her lips.

"I know what you're thinking," she said quietly, watching him look up at her quickly. "And you know that if you do every wall I've built that you've already cracked will just come crashing down." He nodded slightly. "I don't think you're ready for that." His eyebrow rose, and he pulled back a little. A quick blink. "If you do this, I won't be able to let go again." Brows furled. "There's no quick fix for you, Riddick. I quit you once, and if I relapse there's no hope."

"This the drug metaphor still?" She nodded, expression slightly sad.

"Think about it before you do it, Riddick," she pressed. "Long and hard." She stood slowly, leaving him in the floor to ponder.

---

_She's right. _Riddick had flopped onto his back again, now staring up at the ceiling nearly unblinkingly. _What if I'm not ready for it? What if I don't want it? _His eyes closed, remembering the feel of her body pressed against his, moist skin burning his, nails digging in, lips working to dominate his. His eyes slammed open. _Christ. _He shook his head. _And she thinks I'm the drug. Hell. She's always right. She's right that we make one hell of a team, and that's what scares me. The fact that I could get used to having her around. I came to her for help because I trust her, and there aren't many people I can say that about. _A heavy sigh. _But is it worth the risk? I'll never be able to just go somewhere and stay there. Can she do that? Bounce around all the time, watch over her shoulder, never have a permanent home? I don't have the right to ask that of her. _He pinched the bridge of his nose. _And what happens if I change my mind later on? _He stood, cracking his neck as he walked to the door, pausing at the top of the stairs. _Do I really want to spend the rest of my life like I've spent the past thirty something years? Alone? _He took a step down and stopped. _Can I really let her stay on here, working security or hits or whatever the fuck is next and not let it get that far? _Another step, another pause. _Could I let her leave? For good? _An unfamiliar feeling took over the pit of his stomach, and he descended the rest of the steps, slowing as he neared her doorway.

He watched her for a moment, lying in bed with her arms crossed behind her head. She stared up at the ceiling, a foot wiggling under the blankets. He took another silent step forward, and her foot stopped. She listened for a while, suddenly propping up on her elbows, staring right at him as though she could see him in the darkness. A brow twitched downward as her head tilted to the side, her eyes still focused on him. Another step forward, and she lifted up onto her hands, her arms flexing as she supported her weight. Her eyes followed his general direction as he ventured into her room, legs moving aside as he slowly sat on the edge of her bed. She heard him take a breath, and her eyes closed.

"I can't make any promises, Chi," he said slowly, turning his head toward her.

"I'm not asking anything of you," she replied. He nodded, his gaze returning to her wall.

"Dilemma," he said, pausing to lick his lips. "Let you go when this is over and possibly never see you again or take a chance I've avoided my whole life." The crease in her brow deepened. "I don't think I could let you stay and not take that chance eventually, so it's not an option," he explained. She nodded slowly, looking away from him.

"That's a choice you have to make," she said, voice sounding strained. He nodded, turning toward her, supporting himself on the arm he placed next to her hip. Her breathing was slow and even, even as she turned to him, waiting.

"I can't make myself ask you to give up stability," he said slowly. A small smile broke on her face.

"I've never been stable, Riddick, and you know it." He chuckled lightly, but it didn't last, his face falling serious once again.

"That's not what I mean." Her smile fell as well, and she nodded.

"I know." His hand settled on her cheek, turning her face back toward his.

"I have too many questions in my head."

"So answer them," she said slowly.

"You said I had to learn to trust my emotions," he commented. "Answering the question wouldn't be trusting my emotions." Her eyebrow rose. "That would be making a decision based on what I think you want and what I think would be best for you." She blinked.

"So what are you saying?"

"I don't know," he said with a smile. "I'm just talking to give myself more time to think." Her suspicious expression softened. "Are sure this is what you want?"

"Riddick…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "This is your decision. You know how I feel."

"No," he said quickly, "I don't." She took a breath, but he continued: "You said you doubted you could ever love me." She cringed.

"We were in the middle of an argument," she said weakly.

"So you lied to me."

"No, that's how I felt at that particular moment," she corrected. "But like I said, we were fighting at the moment."

"And now?"

"If you need more time to think about it, take time to think about it, but please don't give me the third degree when it's fucking obvious what I want." She snapped it before she could stop it, and almost regretted it before she kicked herself for even thinking about feeling guilty. His thumb stroked her cheek for a moment, her eyes closing at the touch, and the breath left her as his lips lightly touched hers.

"I can't let you leave and take the chance I'll never see you again," he whispered, lips still barely meeting hers. He pressed his forehead to hers for a moment, noticing her arms trembling slightly. He slid his free hand over her stomach and around to her back, smiling at the hitch in her breath before he pressed his lips more insistently to hers, counting the seconds until her arms wrapped lightly around him. __


	16. Chapter 16

Lifeline

Chapter 16

Her arms collapsed under her, but she didn't fall back onto the bed. Riddick just held her there for a moment, feeling her stomach tremble against his as he slowly lowered her back against the mattress. The kiss they shared wasn't demanding or hungry, and neither moved to deepen it as both were satisfied with the soft, shallow teasing they gave each other's lips. Her fingers tightened around his neck before pressing him away slightly, her chest heaving as she caught up on oxygen. Her eyes remained closed as she licked her lips slowly, a small smirk appearing at the groan she prompted from him. Though opening her eyes granted her no vision of him, she did it anyway, waiting for his to appear in the darkness before speaking.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" she nearly whispered. He thought for a moment and realized that although he'd been expecting some sort of feeling like he'd fucked up big time it wasn't there. He nodded slowly, the hand she cradled the back of his head with catching the gesture. She pulled him against her, feeling him nuzzle his nose into the side of her neck as she wrapped her arms tightly around him, her lower lip quivering only the slightest bit. Her embrace remained as he wriggled under the covers, lying halfway on top of her as his hands roved over her body lightly. She pressed her cheek against his for a moment before kissing a shoulder. He hissed, his whole body tensing as she bared her teeth and sunk them into his flesh, just hard enough to draw the slightest prick of blood. His fingers dug into her hip, staying that way as she maintained the pressure on his skin, then let out a shaky groan as she released him, dropping a light kiss on the offended spot. He lifted away from her and for a second she thought she'd gone too far, until he shifted his weight and she felt the effect she'd had on him. His lips claimed hers once again, this time in a possessive, greedy fashion.

"Don't ever do that again," he warned, moving his explorative kisses along her neck and collarbone. Her eyebrow rose, and she took a breath to ask why, but it left her in a moan as he ground his hips against hers. Fighting with the covers and their clothing took a while, but it was time well spent in the rediscovery of the territory of skin they'd once known of each other. She cried out in pain as his teeth clamped roughly around a nipple, knowing it would leave a mark but not caring as the insistent need filling her grew. Her ankles crossed, fastening her legs around his waist as she tried to pull him closer to her, but he resisted, his slow, torturous investigation of her body continuing instead. She moaned in protest, but he only chuckled, shaking his head. "Patience."

All breath left her in a whimper as he finally pressed his hips into hers, moving against her slowly. His arms slid under her back, hands grasping her shoulders as he kissed her, all movements of his body simultaneous. She held her breath, catching his lip between her teeth as she willed herself to let go of the mounting tension, but his pace slowed and he pulled his lip free, lifting his face away to grin down at her. Her back arched, hips grinding against his, but he was still, opting instead to return to light kisses dropped on her face. His lips found her ear, and her eyes squeezed shut as she shuddered, goose bumps rising on her skin. "Don't rush me," he whispered. She laughed, prompting a groan as she tightened around him, and his movements returned. A light sheen of sweat glistened on his skin, his fingers digging into her shoulders rhythmically as quiet groans grew more and more frequent. She trembled as she neared the edge, and he took her over with him, both writhing in a world filled only with sensation. His forehead dropped to her chest, hurried breaths fanning out across her damp skin as he gasped for air. Finally he sighed, settling on his back next to her. She laid there for a moment, waiting until the spots cleared from her eyes and the room stopped spinning before rolling to her side to cuddle against him as she pulled the sheets up. Her back arched into him as he traced her spine lightly between his fingers, glancing down at her to watch her fight to keep her eyes open. He smiled, pressing his lips to her forehead as he gave her a gentle squeeze.

---

The bed was cold and empty when she woke, and she sat up suddenly, glancing around the room. Her clothes had been picked up and laid neatly over the lip of an opened drawer, and his were nowhere to be seen. Her eyebrow rose, and she sighed, scratching her head. She stood on still shaky legs, wobbling as she dressed before heading out to the kitchen. He sat at the table, pouring over satellite image maps. She smiled lightly, leaning against the far counter, just watching him. Finally, he glanced up, also smiling at her before leaning back against the wall, lifting a cup of steaming coffee to his lips. Her eyes lingered on the angry, purple bruise peeking out from under the strap of his wife beater. He followed her gaze and his smile deepened.

"Sorry about that," she said quietly, dropping her gaze to the floor before turning to pour herself some of the aromatic coffee. He chuckled, shrugging, eyes following her as she sat across from him. "Working out a plan without me?" He rubbed his eyes.

"Just going over several I had in mind." She nodded, pulling the maps closer to her as she looked at them over the rim of her mug.

"This it?" she asked, tapping the image of a building. He nodded. "Here," she said, pointing. "What, three clicks south?" Another small nod. "Land there, hike in through the woods here," she said, drawing a path with a finger. "Leave at dusk, hide out until dark and then do some surveillance." She analyzed the maps more closely. "Hell, we'd have several options as far as angles if we landed there. Go around this way –", she suggested, drawing another imaginary trail, "and this way. Get the whole shebang."

"That's what I was thinking." Her eyebrow rose as she met his eyes.

"That's scary." He grinned, and she matched it. "Good coffee," she commented after a beat. He nodded.

"Fresh ground." Her brows arched. "Beans are from Ptero."

"Expensive."

"Worth it," he corrected, lifting his mug to take another sip. "Think it'll work?"

"We'll see, won't we?"

---

Riddick paused to take off his goggles and deposit them in his pack, while Chikage dug through hers to find her night vision glasses. She dropped two extra battery packs in a pocket and powered them on, risking the extra cell usage to hide the green glow. No risks now. She nodded up at him, and they both drew a pistol, screwing on silencers as they continued moving slowly through the thickening forest. They slowed, now creeping as the trees thinned, a large meadow coming into view, a large and well lit building glowing in the middle. Her eyebrow rose. They were getting close. Riddick glanced around, finally pointing to a tree, and she glanced at it quickly before shaking her head. She nodded toward a small patch of thick brush, and his brows furrowed, but he nodded. They moved toward the bushes slowly and silently, finally crouching down behind them. Riddick kept watch as she unzipped her pack, producing a sniper rifle in three sections. He glanced at her, then returned to scouting as she assembled it, finally screwing on the last piece – the silencer. Three surveillance darts were loaded, and she set it quietly on the ground. Another disassembled rifle appeared and was put together, including the silencer, and she settled into position. Riddick sat beside her, watching from behind.

Chikage took a few moments to focus, waiting until her pulse lowered to an even fifty beats per minute and her hand stilled before taking up a weapon. Riddick couldn't help but watch as her slender, graceful fingers adjusted, readjusted, focused, and refocused her sights. One pale brown eye closed, her cheek crinkling as she took aim. She pulled the trigger and waited until she saw and confirmed that the dart hit its mark before panning the area through the scope, watching for any sign of alerts. None. Forty minutes later, the second dart hit home. Forty-two minutes after that, the third. No alerts. She nodded, pursing her lips to make an insect-like chirping sound, and Riddick patted the back of her thigh. They each disassembled a weapon and headed back to the ship.

Riddick's eyebrow rose as she plopped behind a notebook computer she'd set up at the kitchen table, instantly checking her work and the status of her surveillance darts. He watched her for a moment, switching between the three cameras, audio turned down to barely audible.

"You okay?" She nodded without looking at him, still leaning forward in her chair staring intently at the computer screen. He took the seat next to hear, stretching an arm out across the back of her chair.

"Do you have floor plans yet?" she asked quietly.

"Still working on it. They've got encryption like I've never seen before." She smirked.

"I'll work on it tonight," she said. He scowled.

"You need to sleep sometime, you know that?" She glanced at him sharply. "I can't have you running around that place running just on adrenaline."

"I'll be fine. Four hours a night is optimal for me."

"Chi." His voice held a warning tone, and she outright glared at him. His eyebrow rose slowly, a challenge, and her face softened.

"You think we need internal surveillance?"

"How?"

"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "Open window maybe?"

"Yeah, a dart lodged in a wall is really inconspicuous." She winced, nodding slightly as she swore under her breath.

"I'll upload the floor plans onto mobiles," she finally said, leaning back in her chair. She stretched with a groan, and his arm settled around her shoulders as she recoiled, yawning.

"Four hours, huh?" She snickered. "Take it easy, okay? It's gonna take us a while to get all the surveillance shit in place, and then we have to actually figure out patterns and all so we know when to hit." A small, compliant nod.

"I got little video sights for the floor plan, that's why it's so important. We can't get lost in there." He nodded, pulling her against his side. Her head settled against his chest as she flung an arm over his middle. "I can patch in the audio and video surveillance, too."

"Can you?" He sounded impressed, and she nodded.

"Touch screen even. Master directory with thumbnail graphics size video. Touch it and it maximizes and patches the audio in."

"Sweet." She smiled, stifling another yawn as she righted herself and returned to the computer.

"Hell, I could even install GPS so if we have to split off we can still locate each other if we have to," she said with a modest shrug. 'Overlay it with the maps and we're just dandy."

"How long will that take?" he asked slowly. She shrugged, popping her neck.

"Depends on how much you want me to do."

"All of it."

"Mobile, headset, GPS, floor plan, everything?" He nodded, and she thought for a moment. "Between outings and sleep and whatnot, probably four, five days tops."

"Two days between surveillance oughta be safe, huh?"

"Yeah, relatively," she answered with a pensive nod. "I'd suggest three, but we don't exactly have the same timelines we had back in the day." He grimaced, and she sighed, leaning her elbows on the table as she hung her head, avoiding his eyes. "Level with me here, Riddick." She heard him shift in his chair, then felt his hand flatten on her back, massaging slowly. "Do you really think she's still alive?"

"Yes," he said without pause.

"Do you really think we can get her out and keep all three of us that way?" His hand stilled suddenly, resting in place for a moment before resuming, as though she'd caught him off guard.

"I think so, yeah," he answered quietly. She nodded, looking over her shoulder at him. He wore a somewhat pained expression. She took a breath and paused, glancing at him quickly before averting her eyes again.

"Think we can handle whatever shape she's in?" He sighed.

"That's the least of our problems right now, Chi." She nodded slowly. "Don't worry about it." He continued watching her monitor the computer for a while before standing, not really knowing if she'd noticed he'd left. After a short debate with himself, he flopped into her bed and sighed heavily, tossing his forearm over his eyes to block out the tiny stream of light filtering into the room, the other arm stretched out across her side of the bed. She joined him a while later, rousing him partway out of a light sleep as she curled up against his side, her back to him. He shifted next to her, spooning against her as his arms settled around her loosely, pressing his lips against the back of her neck before drifting off again.


	17. Chapter 17

Lifeline

Chapter 17

As Chikage worked on the mobile units, Riddick cleaned, inspected, and reloaded all of the weapons. Once that was done, he returned to the main computer to keep working on the encryption of the floor plans he'd dug up. His brows furrowed in concentration, and every now and then a frustrated grunt or growl would pierce the air, followed quickly by a sigh. He heard her boots clunking up the stairs and leaned back in his chair.

"Have you looked at this yet?" he asked quietly, still tapping intermittently at the keyboard. She leaned over his shoulder.

"The floor plan?" she asked. He nodded, and she chuckled. "I thought you said you could handle it." He glowered at her, watching her eyebrow rise as another small smile curled the corners of her lips. "Do you want me to look at it?"

"I can get it," he grumbled. "Just wondered." She shrugged, opening a locker to rifle through her backpack. "What are you working on?"

"Installing and configuring the headsets," she answered quietly, dropping the pack back into the locker, kicking it shut, and then going to work on the tangled wires.

"It's a fucking headset," he chuckled, "don't you just plug the damn thing in?" He turned in his chair, his cocky grin slipping as she held up the headset. It wasn't just an earpiece and microphone like he'd expected. There was another attachment that kind of looked like half of a pair of tiny rectangular sunglasses, the lens, though he couldn't tell, holding a slight bluish tint. "What the hell?" His face screwed up in confusion, and she only smiled.

"You'll see once I get everything configured," she said, placing a small disk between her teeth as she wound up the wires, more neatly this time so they wouldn't knot up again. Her boots clanged back down the stairs, and he shook his head, turning back to the computer.

He gave up after two hours of messing with the encryption, flopping down the stairs noisily. She was hunched over the mobiles and headsets spread out on the kitchen table, a portable keypad plugged into one, her fingers moving furiously over the keys.

"Give up?" she said, her voice teasing. He only grunted his response. "I'll have one mobile configured in a couple minutes," she added, glancing up at him. "Any coffee left?" He nodded, reaching for the carafe.

"Where'd you get all the gadgets anyway?" he asked, his arm extending over her shoulder to set her mug down next to her. She looked over her shoulder at him as he returned to the coffee, pouring his own cup.

"Back on Ergon. There was this little electronics store tucked into a seedy little corner, so I ducked in and checked it out." He nodded pensively as he sat at the end of the table, leaving her room to work. "I'd like to go back there and clean the place out," she added, a wicked smirk forming on her lips. He found himself grinning in response. "Just a few more programs to upload and it's set," she said, unconsciously talking to herself. He watched her work, her slim, agile fingers flying rapidly over the small keypad. His eyebrow rose at the characters, but he kept quiet and let her work. Her forehead crinkled in concentration, eyes nearly unblinking, and finally she clicked her tongue. "Done."

"That was a few programs?" he asked, voice betraying his surprise. She only nodded. "That was fast."

"I overclocked the mobiles' hard drives so everything works faster." He nodded like he understood, but wasn't entirely sure he did. She didn't call him on it either. "Okay, you're gonna be my gerbil."

"Your what?" She laughed, standing from her chair. He started to do the same, but she clapped a hand on his shoulder, silently urging him to stay seated, so he dropped back into the chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Okay, this is the earpiece," she said, resting a hand on the back of his head for a second before hooking the piece over his ear, sliding the speaker into place. She adjusted the microphone, then the monitor eyepiece, and suddenly frowned. "I just thought of something," she said, pulling away from him to cross her arms over her chest, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. His eyebrow rose.

"What?"

"I don't know if you'll be able to see the video feed," she said quietly. "I'm not really sure if it'll work for someone with…" she trailed off, averting his eyes. He heaved a sigh.

"I can see a regular computer monitor, dummy," he chided. Her eyebrow rose.

"It's more like a hologram."

"I can see those too," he pressed. She shrugged, reaching for the wire dangling from his earpiece. She clipped it to the collar of his shirt, making sure she left enough room on the wire for him to have free movement of his head, then asked him to test to see if he could move easily. When she was satisfied he could, she plugged the headset into the mobile and powered it on. "You know, this isn't the most comfortable thing in the world, Chi," he said slowly, messing with the positioning of the earpiece.

"You'll get used to it," she said quietly, tapping on the mobile unit screen. "Okay. You're patched in to the surveillance feed." She handed him the mobile, and he looked down at it, forcing his eyes to refocus on the image. He could see monitors, vid screens, and holograms – that wasn't exactly a lie. It was, however, a major strain on his eyes, and he felt like they were crossing when he tried to look at a computer graphic of some sort. She sat back and watched him, smiling slightly when he finally selected a video feed.

"Just sound," he said, shaking his head. She sighed.

"I know. I've got to work on the timing still, but the picture should come up in a—"

"Got it," he interjected, nodding slightly. She glanced at the tiny monitor, watching the reverse image of what he was seeing. His brows furrowed, and he pressed his fingers to the earpiece as though he were straining to hear what was being said. She reached out, turning the volume up slightly, watching him for any sign of improvement, but he expression didn't change. Suddenly, he ripped the earpiece out, tearing the clip from his shirt, and dropped the headset on the table, flouncing out of his chair. She jumped inadvertently, eyeing him uneasily before gingerly picking up the device.

"Riddick?" He stood with his back facing her, hands on his hips, but with his head turned slightly to the side, she could see his jaw clenched and nostrils flaring. Her eyebrow rose, and she repeated his name.

"We're pushing up the time table," he ground out through gritted teeth. "I'll stay here and keep working on the floor plan so you can upload it. You've got two more trips to place surveillance. Tonight and tomorrow night. We watch for a day and hope like hell one day's routine." Her eyebrow rose. "Think you can get everything set up by then?" He turned back to her suddenly, his expression dark and intense. She swallowed down a gulp and nodded quickly.

"I, uh," she stammered, "I thought you didn't want me running without sleep," she said slowly.

"We don't have the time," he growled, turning to head upstairs. She sat there for a moment, just wondering what happened, and then heard the groans of the punching bag in the dojo. Her brows furled and she reached out for the mobile he'd tossed onto the table, plugging herself into the sound and video as she ran the tape back. She'd failed to mention she had it programmed to record selected outputs. As she listened, her stomach twisted in knots, and she thought about deleting the file, and then got another idea. It might just come in handy after the extraction.

---

"You sure you don't want to take a break and come with me?" Riddick turned to look over his shoulder at Chikage, leaning against the doorframe of the cockpit.

"You'll do fine," he said quietly as he turned back to the computer. She sighed.

"That's not what I meant. I know I can do this by myself," she said, entering the room entirely. He felt her standing right behind him.

"Take one of the mobiles with you and hook me up on the other one," he conceded, adding a small nod. She returned a few moments later and quickly explained how to use the communication feature.

"I'll page you when I'm set up and in place," she said, quickly hooking up her own mobile. He watched her clip it onto her belt, just behind a holster, and turn to grab the arms pack out of a locker. She paused, her hand hovering over the door latch and turned to him slightly. "Want me to place the rest of the darts tonight and get it out of the way?" His eyebrow rose as he thought about it.

"Your call," he said, tilting his head to the side. "If it looks like you can risk it, yeah, but don't take the chance on someone picking up on it just to rush through it." She nodded. "We don't have a lot of time, but it's not worth blowing everything." Another nod, and she slipped to the ground, flinging the door shut behind her. He watched her until she disappeared into the thick of the woods before turning back to his work.

Her mind replayed the surveillance feed over and over as she crept toward her first location of the evening, crouching once again behind a small cluster of bushes. A small sheen of sweat was glistening on her skin in the moonlight after the hour and a half hike in, and she cursed the humidity. After a second thought, she cursed the full moon as well.

"Riddick," she whispered, waiting for his voice in her ear. "I'm in place for the first set. Northwest quadrant of the building." He was quiet, and she started setting up, glancing around her every now and then to make sure she was alone. In twenty minutes, her heart rate was at an even 50 beats per minute, and her hands stopped shaking. She had an idea, and smiled to herself. "Riddick, patch in camera four."

"Got it," came the gravelly reply in her ear. He was silent as she set up her aim, adjusting, readjusting, focusing, and refocusing her scope until she was satisfied.

"Firing," she whispered, closing one eye, steadying her aim, and pulling the trigger. He swore in her ear, and she grinned. Camera four just hit its mark, in a tree eight hundred yards from where she'd just fired. His view through the monitor just traveled eight hundred yards in a few seconds, then halted in the bark of a rather large tree, pausing before the camera automatically readjusted itself to get a view of the courtyard over which the tree stood watch. She'd adjust the view when she got back to the ship.

"Thanks for the warning," he chuckled, and she smiled, holding herself steady as she sought out another target.

"Camera five," she whispered, focusing now on a crack in the second highest level of concrete slab just wide enough for the dart to lodge and stick. "Firing." The dart wedged itself between the edges of the crack, and she silently prayed the lens hadn't been scraped. She searched for another target and swore under her breath.

"What?" Riddick asked through the mobile.

"The only target I can think of that could possibly work is right above a guard's head," she whispered, closing her eyes in defeat. Riddick swore as well. "I'm gonna skip it and go around to the other side." She flipped her night vision glasses off her head and back into place, quickly and quietly collecting her gear, packing it up before hiking to her next perch. Just as she slung the bag over her shoulder, the clouds opened and the rain started, just a sprinkle at first, but quickly growing into a deluge. She paused, wiping the rain from her face as she thought for a moment, standing only a few hundred yards from where she once was. A quick decision was made, and she dropped to the ground, quickly screwing the silencer back onto her rifle. The scope was already set, and she took aim, counting her heartbeats until everything was just right. With the pounding rain beating on the roof and surrounding foliage, he didn't even notice the dart lodge into the moulding of the door he leaned against, or see the steam rising from the hole it made in the wood. She smiled in satisfaction, replacing the rifle in her bag, and continued on to the next spot.

---

Riddick couldn't help but grin when the rain started in. She'd always done her best work in the cover of the rain. Most snipers loved it, actually. It hid both the sight and sound, meaning an excellent condition for their tasks. She'd be back in a few hours, he hoped. Now if he could just figure out the damn encryption.

He was about to give up and make an executive decision to just go in blind, without the floor plan, when she emerged from the woods, soaking wet, her hair hanging in loose, dripping curls. She wore a slight smile as she walked, her clothes clinging closely to her body as she neared the ship. He unlatched the door, offering her a hand, but she refused flinging the bag up instead before hoisting herself up.

"Go okay?" he asked, quickly taking the weapons out of the soaked bag to find them dry, held safely in waterproofed material the whole time, except, of course, when in use.

"Got eight more placed," she said with a small nod, leaning out the door slightly to wring out her hair. "Including the one over the guard's head." Riddick's eyes snapped to her, and she shrugged. "Started raining when I was starting to walk away, so I stopped and took a shot." His eyebrow rose. "Didn't even notice." Riddick's panic gave way to pride, almost, and he grinned. "This far above his head," she continued, holding her hands about six inches apart, and Riddick laughed, shaking his head.

"You're crazy, you know that?" he said, still chuckling.

"I'm a sniper, what did you expect?" she said with a shrug. "I'm gonna go take a shower." His smile fell as he turned back to the computer. It wasn't fair. She'd done nearly everything he'd asked her to, and he couldn't crack a simple encrypted map. He was jolted out of his self-scolding when something cold slapped against the back of his head. Water ran down his neck, and he grinned, pulling her wet shirt off his shoulders before following her down the stairs toward the bathroom.


	18. Chatper 18

Lifeline

Chapter 18

Chikage twisted the knob on the shower, stepping under the steaming spray with a contented sigh. The mud that had managed to cling to her skin despite the rain ran in a slow sludge down her skin toward the drain, along with the tension. She felt a rush of air as the door opened and smiled to herself, turning her face under the water as the shower door slid open quietly. His arms wound around her, and she leaned back against his chest, letting her head loll back against his shoulder.

"Water hog," he mumbled against the side of her neck, and she laughed as he picked her up, taking a few steps closer to the jet of water so both of them were under the massaging cascade. She wrapped her arms behind her, around his waist, and let him fully support her weight, her eyes closing as his hands softly caressed the skin of her sides.

"You know," she started softly, "I doubt this is a new thing." She felt him pull back to look at her, but she continued: "If she's made it this long, she's a strong girl." He sighed, dropping his forehead to rest on her shoulder. "It's not going to be a pretty sight, Riddick, but she'll be fine eventually." He nodded.

"I know she will."

"Especially knowing you're still out there and still care enough to do this for her," she added slowly. Another small nod. "She's a lucky girl." His head lifted, and her eyes opened as his lips pressed gently to her temple. "And one hell of a friend if she hasn't given you up after all this," she added. His cheek settled against the side of her head and he gave her a small squeeze.

"What do you say we take her with us?" he asked after a beat. She turned in his arms, staring up at him with wide eyes, a slightly concerned look crossing her features. He smiled, lifting a hand to cup her cheek as he leaned down to capture her lips in a slow kiss. She melted into him, arms clasping tightly around his neck as he left a light trail of kisses down to her shoulder. Goose bumps rose on her skin despite the heat of the water, and he lifted her, pressing her back against the wall, her legs winding around his waist as his lips returned to hers. He cleared the wet strands of hair clinging to the sides of her face, and her fingers dug into his shoulders as he teased her, finally pressing his hips forward in one long, smooth motion. Soft moans escaped her as his lips attacked her throat, teeth closing gently on the skin covering the pulsating vein running down the side of her neck as his pace increased. Both exploded at the same time, whimpers and grunts punctuating their releases. He stilled, feeling her tremble against him as he trapped her between his body and the wall. She still clung to him, even after he lowered her onto quivering legs, her breath coming in short, desperate pants.

"Can you hand me the shampoo?" she asked breathlessly, staring up at him from under heavy lidded eyes. He chuckled, reaching past her to hand her the bottle.

---

She woke with a start, suddenly realizing she was still alone in the bed. She sat up, smoothing the wild curls away from her face as she stood slowly, ruffling through a drawer to find a pair of sweats and a beater. He was still at the computer.

"Haven't cracked it?" He let out a frustrated sigh and flopped back against his chair. She laughed lightly and appeared at his side.

"A simple fucking task," he scolded himself. "Here you've done the mobiles and surveillance, and I can't even fucking crack a fucking floor plan." She shook her head, clicking her tongue at him as he wound an arm around her hips, pulling her against his side,

"Want me to try?" she asked sweetly. He glared at her.

"What, so you can do everything?" he pouted.

"I don't mind," she said with a modest shrug, sliding onto his lap and adjusting the keyboard. "Watch and learn." His arms wound around her waist again as he sat up, resting his chin on her shoulder as she slowly worked through the program. "It's only 256 bit encryption, Riddick," she chided mockingly, chuckling as he bit her shoulder lightly, his version of a comeback. He frowned as she pulled up another program, quickly typing in commands. "You didn't know this was there?" she asked, sounding almost as surprised as he was. He was quiet. "You didn't know you had a hacking program installed." Assumption this time, not a question. He shook his head, and she couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Hell, if I'd known I had that I'd have been done days ago," he growled.

"Yeah, well, given the circumstances I probably wouldn't have taken the time to explore my own system either," she said quietly.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"Exactly what I said. It's not a big deal, Riddick. The only reason I know is from uploading a few programs onto the mobiles." He sighed.

"I'm sorry, Chi."

"Nothing to apologize for," she said, shrugging slightly. "Not a big deal. Once it's cracked, we'll save it to a remote server and then upload onto the mobiles. Won't take more than a few minutes." She typed some more on the keyboard, then sighed and leaned into him. "It's gonna take it a while. Why don't we get some sleep?" He nodded, and she stood, padding softly to the stairs. She glanced over her shoulder, checking to make sure he was coming, but he was just standing there, staring out the windshield. She sighed, closing the distance to grab his arm and drag him back to the bedroom.

---

Riddick watched as she uploaded the floor plan to the mobile, then copied it to the other mobile, glancing back down at the weapons he was loading every now and then. She set both mobiles on the navigator's chair and stooped to pick up a few guns, pulling back the slide and flipping the safety on before loading up. After securing her guns, she strapped her clip holders onto her ankles, and Riddick shook his head, a sly smile playing on his lips as his thoughts entered the gutter.

"I programmed the mobiles to respond to voice commands," she said, using her 'nothing but business' tone. The lewd thoughts ran from Riddick's mind, and he snapped back into his mission frame of mind. "Just have to record your voice and we'll be set." He nodded, and she collected a mobile and headset, gearing him up first. "Mine's already programmed," she said with a wink, clipping the headset's wire to the back of his collar. He waited as she secured the mobile to the back of his belt, out of his way, and plugged in the headset, then turned to wire her own mobile up. He heard a hum and then nothing as she powered his unit on, then gave him instructions to program his voice into the computer. He counted to eleven slowly, repeating each number, then said and repeated the other commands, the words 'camera', 'GPS', 'audio', 'map' and 'comm'. "Since I'm the only other mobile on your network, you just have to say 'comm' and I'll be on the other end," she instructed. He nodded. She paused, looking up at him pensively. "You're not used to this any more, are you?" An eyebrow twitched downward slightly, and she smiled. "You'll pick up right where you left off once we go in," she said confidently.

"Hope you're right," he said, half to himself. She pulled two vests out of a locker, tossing him one before putting on the other. Two more guns were strapped in, along with a few flash bangs and other explosives, and he opted just for more guns, a few of his favorite knifes, and extra clips. He didn't even want to ask where her extra magazines were kept. Finally, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, flipping the lever to lower the ship's hatch, and they walked out into the small field, the sky slowly darkening.

"Two hours to darkness," she said, starting off toward the brush. His arm darted out, his hand catching hers and whirling her back to face him. She couldn't read the expression on his face, but whatever the emotion was, it was the most intense thing she'd ever seen before. Her brows furled.

"Chi—" He stopped suddenly, glancing away and looking almost as though he felt guilty. She shook her head in confusion. "If anything happens to me—"

"Don't," she interjected quickly, cutting him off. "Emotions out, focus on." He nodded slowly, but she continued staring up at him. He was about to ask her if she was ready to go, but her lips slammed into his, one hand pressing against the back of his head, holding him in her fierce kiss. She pulled away as suddenly as she'd assailed him, heading once again for the forest. He shook his head, a chuckle vibrating low in his throat as he followed.

"What was that about emotions?" he asked, the teasing tone back in his voice.

"Shut the fuck up," she snapped, turning to grin at him though her words were harsh. He laughed, barely dodging a tree that jumped out in front of him. With every step forward, they grew more serious, and finally they approached the clearing into the meadow, the lights of the building glowing brightly. "You remember which camera is which?" she asked, but he'd already called up camera three, the same one she would have. She repeated the command, eyeing the view carefully.

"Think we can cut the power?" he asked quietly. She nodded, closing her eyes to think. "Listen to me, Chi." She opened her eyes. _Must be serious,_ she thought. "Don't go loud unless you have to. If you've got to drop someone, do it quietly unless there's no alternative. I don't want them knowing we're here."

"So you're cutting the power," she said sarcastically. He sighed.

"Maybe they'll just think they blew a breaker for a while. Buy us some time."

"Hope you're right," she said with a shrug. "C'mon, I know where the breaker box is." He followed her around the building, still hiding in the safety of the forest, and watched her screw on a silencer and clip a laser sight onto one of her pistols, and his eyebrow rose, but he didn't question her. She was, after all, the sniper of the two. He followed her to a spot behind a clump of trees, and she glanced around the forest floor, finally crouching to pick up a thin but sturdy branch. His eyebrow rose, and she grinned. "Watch and learn," she said quietly. She ruffled through her backpack, then stood, replacing the pack before fiddling with a small gadget that slightly resembled a gun, but Riddick had never seen one before. She clipped on a small cylindrical piece of metal and turned it, and he heard the hiss of air, breaking into a grin. The branch was loaded into a barrel, and she clipped her scope onto the device and aimed. "Wish I could use the laser sight but it's too fucking foggy out here," she growled, steadying her arm against the trunk of a tree before firing. The branch was sent flying toward the breaker box, landing with a loud thud just as a gust of wind picked up. Sparks flew, and Riddick's grin widened.

"Nice." She cocked her head to the side as the lights flickered off, and flipped her night vision glasses onto her nose.

"Let's go," she said, nodding toward the building. He followed as they darted toward the closest wall, flattening against the concrete blocks as footsteps neared.

"Dude, Grainger's pissed," a guard muttered. "Probably blew a fuckin' breaker with all the god damn lights." Chikage stifled a snicker, and waited as they neared the box.

"Aw, fuck," the other guard sighed. They heard the click of a radio, and Chikage's eyes widened as she glanced at Riddick. His eyebrow rose, and she shook her head. She thought the outage would have taken out their radio systems, but evidently they were using battery powered units on a separate network, not going through the radio tower she'd sunk an electronics termyte into. She let out a quiet sigh. "Grainger, this is Frank. We got a problem. Wind kicked up a bit and lodged a branch in the circuit breaker. It'll take a while to fix it." They heard the radio crackle and then a very angry voice screaming obscenities along with a command to get started on the repairs. Riddick nodded to Chikage, and they silently moved in the other direction. Just around the next corner was a door both were hoping would be open. Riddick stole a quick glance, and shook his head. A radio crackled, and Chikage closed her eyes for a moment. This guard was, luckily for them, called to help the other two pry the branch from the breaker. Trouble was, he was heading right toward where Chikage and Riddick were pressed against the wall, hiding in a shadow.

A/N: Vocabulary note – electronics termyte: a surveillance dart that, when fired into a radio tower or other electronic system, works like a computer virus, infiltrating the system to allow the surveillance technician to eavesdrop on all communications running through the device invaded. Think of how termites work into wooden structures and imagine they could hack into wires and stuff and send the information to a receiver, like Chikage and Riddick's mobile computers. Aren't I clever? ;)


	19. Chapter 19

Lifeline

Chapter 19

Riddick reached out slowly, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her backwards against his chest as he sunk deeper into the shadow. She started to reach for a gun, but he snatched her elbow, shaking his head slightly as she turned to glance at him quickly. Her eyebrow rose, but his face was stern. Footsteps came closer, and his arm tightened around her waist. He felt her breath slow, as well as her heart rate as the guard appeared, pausing to glance at the shadow they hid in. He stood there for a moment, just staring, before they heard someone call out. The guard's head turned sharply toward the outburst.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," he returned, sending one lingering glance into the shadow before shaking his head and moving on. When the sound of his boots crunching on the gravel disappeared, Chikage let out a shaky breath. Riddick gave her another squeeze around the middle.

"If you'd killed him," Riddick whispered.

"I know," she whispered back, cutting him off with a nod of her head. "They would have known something was up, even if we'd hidden the body. Riddick nodded, glancing over her shoulder. "Map." Chikage's eyepiece flickered to life, and Riddick watched her go over the floor plan she'd uploaded.

"There's a door around the corner," Riddick said quietly. "Maybe he left it open." She nodded, pulling herself from his grasp. Her feet moved slowly, her boots setting down on the ground silently as she neared the corner. She risked a peek into the light and turned, nodding once at Riddick standing behind her. As she took another step into the light, she held out a hand, silently telling Riddick to stay where he was. His eyebrow rose, but he complied, sinking back into the shade of the wall as she ventured out to try the door. She couldn't help but swear as the keypad came into view.

"Comm," she whispered. A quiet beep sounded in her ear as the patch went through, and then she heard Riddick's voice.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Keypad. I have to try to crack it," she answered.

"We can try another door." She shook her head.

"All the other doors are guarded right now," she said quickly. She called up the thumbnails of all the cameras, finally patching in the four covering her side of the building. As she dug through her pockets, she glanced around her and at her eyepiece display. Her fingers finally found a packet of jammers, and she stuck it between her teeth while she searched for the charger. It fell from her hands with a quiet thump into the dirt, and she swore to herself, picking it up and dusting it off before clipping it to her belt. Riddick glanced around the corner, watching her fingers tremble as she struggled with the zip on the plastic back containing the jammers. Finally, she extracted one, zipping the bag up again before clinching it between her teeth as she flipped a switch on the box clipped to her belt. It hummed for a moment, a red light blinking before turning solid as the humming stopped. As her fingers neared the box, the jammer flew from her fingers, drawn to the magnetic box. He watched in fascination as she felt along the keypad with one hand, pulling a small screwdriver from a pocket with the other hand. Her fingers continued to move over the keypad box. All of a sudden, all her movement stopped, and her breathing quickened. Finally she snapped out of it, frantically fighting with the screwdriver as she worked a screw loose. Riddick's brow furled, and he took a step into the light, just past the corner. Gravel crunched somewhere past Chikage, and he stooped to the ground, moving toward her quickly.

"Chi, leave it," he commanded quietly. She shook her head, reaching for the jammer still stuck to the box on her hip. He grasped her elbow, but she wrenched it free, casting him a glare as she inserted the jammer into the hole left by the removed screw, pushing it in until they both heard a click. The footsteps came nearer, then paused as a radio crackled. Just around the corner, one the other side of the building from where Riddick had once been, they heard someone talking. Only 150 meters separated them from that corner, and Chikage's eyes closed as the jammer did its work, slowly increasing its magnetism. The footsteps started up just as the keypad went dead after a whir and a click, and she pushed it open. She pulled the jammer from its place as both of them slipping inside as the footsteps resumed, the door shutting behind them as the guard appeared from the shadow of the corner. It was dark inside, and Riddick stood there for a moment, taking in the room as Chikage slid to the floor, her back against the wall. She heaved a sigh and stood.

"Well, that was fun," she whispered. Riddick's chuckle, low in his throat, echoed through the deserted room. It was only filled with large metal boxes, all locked, and Chikage reached across the top of one, grasping the edge as she pulled backwards, stretching her shoulders. "Map." Riddick called up his map as well, and they both stood there in silence as they looked for a way in. "Should have figured out a way to get internal surveillance," she murmured. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she ripped her mobile from its place on the back of her pants.

"What?"

"The termyte," she whispered, tapping quickly on the face of the unit.

"The what?"

"I sunk an electronics termyte into the radio tower. If they have a surveillance system hooked up to the generator powering the keypads and radios, I might be able to patch us in to the system," she explained quickly. He nodded, glancing over his shoulder at another door.

"How many jammers do you have?" She glanced up, following his gaze to the door.

"That one's locked too?" He only shrugged, and she returned to her mobile as he walked to the door, testing it. It gave, and he stopped pulling as it creaked slightly, peeking out of the small crack he'd made.

"Clear," he said quietly. She nodded, wincing as a shrill squeal invaded her ears. Riddick grimaced as well, letting the door swing shut as his hand went to his earpiece. For a moment, she'd thought an alarm had been triggered, but they were getting some kind of interference with their mobiles. The squealing stopped, and they both let out a heavy sigh. "Interference?" She nodded. "Anything we can do about it?"

"Turn off your audio," she said with a shrug. "But that means no comms. The system's supposed to compensate automatically, so it shouldn't happen again, but there's noguarantee." He grunted, returning his attention to the door.

"How long will it take you to patch in their surveillance?"

"Couple more seconds, if it's still powered up," she answered. After a moment, she clipped the mobile back in place. "It should be up in a few minutes." He nodded. "Still clear?" Another small nod. He let the door close again and turned to her, his mouth hanging open as though he wanted to say something. "What?" His mouth closed. "Riddick, what?"

"This building is huge. How the fuck are we supposed to find her?" She blinked a few times at the tone of his voice. He sounded almost desperate. Her eyes closed slowly, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"We'll find her, Riddick." He nodded, cupping the back of her neck as he pulled her closer against him. "If we have to look in every fucking room in this place, we'll find her."

"Let's think about this for a minute," he said quietly, pulling his mobile from its clip. He pulled up the floor plan. "If you were holding someone hostage, where would you keep them in a place like this?" Her eyebrow rose as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Small room," she answered slowly. "Internal, no windows. One entrance." He nodded.

"That's what I was thinking." He held up his mobile for her to see as well. "Okay, here's the operation center," he said, pointing at the screen. "This over here is the recovery area, and there's a small storage closet here." She nodded.

"Doubtful it's a closet." Riddick nodded.

"I know, but listen." The wheels started turning behind her eyes as he adjusted the view of the floor plan. "There's a security booth here. My guess is that it's got glass windows on each wall so they can see out but no one can see in." She nodded slowly, hearing a single quiet beep. He did too, and he glanced at her quickly.

"Termyte's up and running," she said, pulling her mobile out as well. "You keep spinning there, and I'll see if I can get a visual." He nodded, and they crouched behind a pile of metal crates, both working quickly. "Riddick," she said slowly. Riddick turned his head, his eyes lingering on his mobile for a moment before focusing on her. He followed her gaze down to her mobile, and a growl pierced the air. His nostrils flared slightly, cheek twitching, and she turned off her unit's display. "Let's go get her," Chikage said gently. He nodded, standing slowly as he pulled her up with him. "Riddick, listen to me," she said quietly. His head turned away from her, but she reached out to grasp his chin, turning him back toward her. "Keep your temper in check." His eyebrow rose. "I can set something up for when we leave," she continued, nodding slightly as his forehead crinkled in confusion, "but until then, there's no revenge." She paused to lick her lips. "Don't go loud unless you have to, remember?" He nodded a little. "We get her out safe, and then it's payback." Another small nod, and she headed to the door, opening it a crack as she peered out, cringing as it creaked loudly in the process. She felt him behind her as she moved quickly and quietly along this room's wall, thankful that the power hadn't been restored yet. As they neared the entrance to the hallway, she slowed, a small amount of light emanating from the left. She poked her head out into the hallway slowly, and, finding it deserted, the rest of her body followed, heading toward the light.

A long wall of glass made up the right wall, concrete the left, and Chikage felt a shudder run over her as her eyes fell on the operation tables. They looked more like torture tables, straps connected to hold the patient down, and utensil trays still pulled up, the tools laid out as though they'd been in use recently. She shivered again, and kept moving, forcing herself to turn her attention to the hallway in front of her. Following the map projected through her eyepiece, she turned left down the next hallway, still creeping forward slowly, cautiously.

"Riddick, something doesn't seem right," she whispered. Her steps halted when he didn't respond, and suddenly she no longer felt him behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, then walked back to the last hallway she'd been down, but he wasn't there either. "Shit." She shook her head, deciding that he'd found a better way to get there and would meet her. After a moment to calm her heart beat, she continued on.

---

Riddick followed Chikage into the hall, squinting slightly in the dim light pouring through the glass walls. He broke out into a sweat, shivering as he suddenly became cold. His brows furled as he moved toward the wall, reaching out slowly to slide open one of the doors. It gave without a sound, and he entered the operation center slowly. An unfamiliar feeling crept into his stomach, and he stared down at his hands, which were now shaking violently. His eyes darted around the room, memories suddenly flashing into his mind. He swallowed thickly, creeping toward a table as muffled voices came back to him.

_"It's rather progressive, Dr. Stevens." Despite his best efforts, his eyes wouldn't open. He felt drugged, like someone had dropped him into a jar of molasses. "I don't know if he can pull through." His brows furled unconsciously. A pair of blue eyes stared down at him, female fingers running over the small amount of fuzz growing on his head. _

_"He's the strongest we have, Marie," a male's voice said. "If anyone can, it's him." She nodded, a slightly pained expression running through her eyes. "Are the straps secure?"_

_"Yes, sir," she said quietly. "Everything's set up just like you asked."_

_"Good. Let's continue then." Through the fog, Riddick heard metal clinking and twitched, suddenly realizing he had no control over himself with the exception of his mind. It hit him then that he'd been anesthetized, but not enough to knock him out completely. He whimpered. _

_"It's okay," came Marie's soothing voice. "You'll be just fine Richard." Another small whimper, and her hand returned to his scalp, running over his head lightly. _

_"Syringe, please, Marie." He heard more clinking._

_"Do you think it'll work?" she asked. The doctor made a harrumph type sound, and Riddick tried to yell, but his mouth didn't work. A bit was placed firmly between his teeth._

Riddick wiped his forehead with the back of a hand, trembling fingers running over the tools laid out with care on the utensil table pulled up next to the operating bed. He let out a shaky breath, letting his fingers trail over the white cloth draped over the metal cot. His brows had been drawn down for so long they now trembled.

_Riddick's arm instinctively twitched, trying to evade the thick needle invading his skin, but he was strapped down so securely he couldn't escape anywhere. Marie's fingers continued trailing through his buzzed hair, and she whispered quietly to him, trying to calm him. His teeth clamped down onto the bit, his brows furrowing deeper as the pain intensified. He let out a growl, echoing off the metal walls as the pain became too much to bear. The needle continued, and the groan choked off into a weak whimper as the needle finally stopped its invasion. He felt tape press onto his skin and wind around his forearm, probably holding the needle in place. _

_"Marie?" Dr. Stevens' voice asked. Riddick heard himself breathing heavily, the silence broken by an occasional moan as he adjusted to the sensation of the long needle traveling through his arm. It jerked as he heard a click, and he grunted, feeling the metal in his arm wiggle a little as Dr. Stevens ran the tube he'd just connected to the needle in Riddick's arm to a machine. Stevens took the 7 inch needle Marie handed out to him, and paused to stare at her face. "It'll be okay, Marie," Stevens said quietly, adding a nod for emphasis. Riddick heard her clothing swish as she walked around his head to his other side, running her fingers lightly up and down his upper arm. "Set up the transfusion, please." Marie nodded, turning away from the man lying on the table to hang a bag of clone blood on a stand, attaching a line and IV needle. The wheels squeaked as she guided the contraption to his side, and her fingers wound around his without moving the arm still holding the needle. His fingers twitched tighter around hers as she poked the back of his hand, inserting the needle. He felt a warm hand on his other arm and twitched, but Dr. Stevens shushed him. "It'll be over in a minute, Richard," he said, and Riddick felt himself swallow. _

_---_

Chikage glanced around the corner and swore mentally. Three guards sat outside the security booth, one reading a newspaper, and the other two playing a game of cards. The one with the paper had a ring of keys clipped to a belt loop, and she glanced at the door, squinting as she tried to make something, anything out behind the tinted glass. Nothing but reflection of the room. She bit her lip and backed up, sliding to the floor in the darkness. Several pockets on her cargo pants were opened, the snaps pried open slowly to avoid a sound, and she searched them quickly. Finally, her fingers closed on a circular device, and she pulled it out quickly, turning it over in her hands several times. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as her hand returned to her pocket, extracting a tiny syringe. She bit down on the cap covering the needle and freed the syringe, jabbing the needle into her thigh and depressing the plunger, biting the cap harder to fight the groan as the liquid burned. The seconds ticked by on her wrist chrono, and she pressed a button on the round object, sliding it through the door before counting again. A few groans echoed into the hallway, and three bodies slumped in their chairs.

---

_Marie shushed him as he let out another shaky groan, watching the needle reach the end of its journey into his body. One of her warm, soft hands cupped his cheek, her thumb trailing back and forth over the stubble as she continued to whisper to him._

_"You know, Marie," Dr. Stevens said quietly, a hint of a smile lilting his voice, "he's a soldier. He's probably not used to being cooed at."_

_"He's a soldier yes," Marie snapped, "but he's a soldier going through pain I couldn't imagine." Riddick couldn't help but snicker, though it quickly turned into another grunt as the click and wiggle started again._

Riddick stared at the large machine standing next to the operating bed, blinking less frequently than normal. Sweat glistened on his skin, his breathing shallow and eyes dilated. His whole body trembled now, as the memories finally came flooding back as a single coherent vision. He shook his head, his jaw clenching, and turned away from the machine for a moment before curiosity got the better of him. A clipboard hung on a small hook at the back of the machine and he reached out to it, flipping through the pages slowly.

_"It's set up," Dr. Stevens said quietly, nodding at Marie. She blinked, pursing her lips for a moment before turning her attention back to Riddick. He felt her lips press against his forehead for a moment before she moved away from him. Beeps followed the buttons she pushed, and the tube running from his right arm filled with blood as it ran into the machine. The lights flickered as the machine continued its work, an electrical hum filling the room. Dr. Stevens' shoes clicked as he exited the room, but paused in the doorway. "Marie." She stared over her shoulder at him. "Take care of things and return to your quarters." Riddick heard her take a breath, but she didn't say anything. He figured she'd nodded. The room fell silent again, save the hum of the machine, and Riddick shivered. He felt her presence still in the room and grunted, trying to talk around the bit to no avail. _

_"Are you cold?" she finally asked. He tried to nod, but it didn't work, so he just whimpered again, hoping she'd get the message. She ran her fingers over his face lightly, lingering on the eyelids he couldn't make obey his wishes, and she moved away from him again. After a moment, he felt a thin sheet fall over him, and the trembling slowed. "I'll be back to check on you in a few hours," she said quietly. He whimpered again, wishing she would stay for some reason, but she disappeared. After a while of struggling, he gave up, the restraints too tight and too strong for him to get out of. His left arm started burning as his right grew colder. The machine continued to hum._

Riddick had to lay the clipboard on the table to be able to read it, he'd started shaking so badly. The words blurred on the page, and he realized his eyes were watering. He stifled a sniffle and wiped his nose with the back of a hand, unable to leave his reading material. Some of the words he didn't understand, but he was starting to see the whole picture now, and he was torn between being terrified and enraged.

---

Chikage stood, peering into the room cautiously. The three guards were passed out, halfway falling off their chairs. The one with the newspaper had vomited, the slime covering his lap, and she grimaced. Keys were snatched from his belt loop, and she approached the door.

"Jack?" she called quietly, pressing her hands to the metal doors. She tried the knob, and wasn't surprised to find it locked. "Jack, are you in there?" Behind the door came a clunk and a muffled voice, and Chikage's breathing quickened. Her fingers shook as she tried the keys, swearing at each one that didn't work. "Jack, I'm coming, honey. Hold on." Another muffled voice, and a key finally slid into the lock. Chikage froze, waiting for a moment before turning. The knob gave, and she pushed the door open. A small, thin girl was tied to a metal chair, which itself was chained to a desk that had been soldered to the floor. Chikage sighed. The girl stared up at her with large, green eyes, widened even further in fear. Her clothes were torn, nearly hanging off her body, and her skin was covered in bruises, new and old, and dried blood. "I'm here to help you, Jack," Chikage said gently. The girl nodded quickly, eyes still wide, and Chikage pulled another small syringe from a pocket. Jack started trembling. "I need you to trust me, okay?" A slight, wary nod. "I had to gas the guards, and I don't want you to pass out, too. This is an antidote." A more confident nod, and Chikage smiled. "Needle's not too big. Had to give myself one a little earlier." Jack smiled around the gag between her teeth. Chikage gave her the shot, wincing as the girl twitched, and then untied the gag.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, her voice scratchy.

"A friend." Jack blinked, but didn't ask anything else. "Do you know who had the key to the chains?" Chikage asked. Jack shook her head slowly. "Shit." None of the keys on her ring worked.

---

_"Richard?" Riddick moaned, drifting somewhere between conscious and unconscious as his blood cycled out of him, into the machine, and back into him. He heard her shoes move quietly across the floor toward him. His arm twitched as she touched him, tweaking the needle, and he grunted. She shushed him quietly, her hand leaving his skin as she moved toward the machine. "You're almost done, honey," she said quietly, printing out another reading. He couldn't be sure, but he'd felt like he'd been lying there for days. It had been three, actually, and those days weren't exactly the most comfortable he'd gone through. _

_"What are you doing?" Marie's head snapped around toward the doorway to see Dr. Stevens standing there. _

_"I'm checking on him," she said slowly, her eyebrow arching slightly. _

_"Don't." Her head cocked to the side. "You knew getting into this that you were not to become attached to any of the candidates."_

_"I'm not, Michael," she insisted. _

_"Marie." Warning tone. _

_"God forbid someone check on him to make sure he's still alive," she snapped. "We've spent fifteen years on this project, and we finally found someone strong enough to possibly make it through, and you're worried about me getting attached to the candidate?" She made a huffing noise, and Riddick suddenly felt dirty. He'd thought she was consoling him because she cared that he was in so much pain. "I'm attached to the project, Michael," she continued, her voice tightening. "I left my life behind to work with you on this, and I've invested just as much time and effort as you have, if not more."_

_"Marie." Apologetic tone. _

_"Don't lecture me on how to care for a patient, Dr. Stevens. We all know nurses have better bedside manner than doctors anyway. Your job is to do the procedures, and my job is to make sure the patient pulls through, so let me do my fucking job," she spat. Riddick heard her heavy breathing, and couldn't help but mentally smirk for a moment before the pain returned. Stevens was quiet for a moment. _

_"Just be cautious, Marie," he warned gently. "These aren't the soldiers you've worked on before."_

_"I know that," she said, voice slightly sullen._

_"I'm not sure you do," Stevens said slowly. "You were never given full disclosure for a reason, Marie." She sighed. "Why do you think you've not been allowed in the rooms when they're not restrained?" No answer. "These aren't people, Marie," he continued. "These are Company property. Expensive Company property, to be more accurate. Highly specialized, highly skilled, and highly treacherous. Don't get any sympathetic ideas."_

_"Sympathetic ideas would jeopardize the project, Michael," she said quietly. Riddick heard the machine beep and the hum stopped. "It's finished."_

_---_

"Comm." Jack glanced up at Chikage as she paced the room, pressing the earpiece further into her ear. "Comm.," she repeated. "Fuck."

"Who's here with you?" Jack asked. Chikage glanced at her quickly, then averted her eyes to search for a key.

"It's not important right now," she said quickly, ruffling through drawers. "We need to concentrate on getting you out of here before they wake up or someone finds us."

"They don't know you're here?" Jack sounded surprised, and Chikage smiled.

"No, not yet." She sighed. "Fuck this." Jack's eyebrow rose slowly as Chikage drew a pistol, screwing on a silencer.

"What…?" Chikage shook her head, grasping one of Jack's wrists and holding it out as far as the chains would allow. Jack squeezed her eyes shut, turning her head away, and the pistol fired. The action was repeated on the rest of the chains, leaving the cuffs around Jack's wrists and ankles. Chikage helped her to her feet slowly.

"How long has it been since you got to walk?" she asked gently. Jack rubbed her head, frumpling her hair further.

"I dunno," she mumbled. "A week, maybe." Chikage winced.

"Okay, let's do this slowly then. Follow me closely, and let me know if you need to stop." Jack nodded. "You know how to use one of these?" Jack looked down at the hand Chikage was holding out, her eyes darting back up to the dark yellow eyes staring down at her. She reached out slowly, taking the pistol from Chikage's hands gingerly. Chikage watched for a moment as Jack turned the gun over in her hands a couple of times before pulling the slide back and flipping the safety.

"I think I can handle it," Jack said quietly. Chikage smiled slightly and nodded.

"I'm Chi." Jack nodded.

"Jack."

---

Riddick flipped through the remaining pages on the clipboard, pausing as his name appeared at the top of one. His fingers ran down the paper as he scanned, and his eyes skipped to the bottom of the page, two signatures scrawled at the bottom, one scratchy and uneven and one curly and legible. He growled quietly, ripping the page from the clipboard, folding it neatly, and stuffing it into his pocket.

_"I've updated the chart," Marie said quietly. Riddick heard more metal clinking and groaned inwardly. Dr. Stevens nodded in satisfaction. "We'll have to run some more tests, I'm sure, but it looks like it's going to take."_

_"Good," came Stevens' stiff response, followed by the shuffling sound of papers. Another, smaller needle invaded Riddick's flesh, and his leg twitched as he grunted. "Oh, stop," Stevens snarled._

_"Michael," Marie warned, sending him a look over the rims of her glasses. He glared at her for a moment before returning to his work. A small vial of blood was taken from a vein in Riddick's thigh. Most of the accessible ones in his arms had collapsed by now, or were too close to collapsing to be messed with. Dr. Stevens took the vial to a centrifuge and started it, Riddick concentrating on the whirring of the machine as Stevens' boots thumped toward him. _

_"Let's take these out, Marie." Riddick's breath caught in his throat, and the anxiety returned. He felt her eyes on him and felt the prickling of a nervous sweat break on his skin, his nerves already tingling in anticipation. Marie's hand settled on his arm as Dr. Stevens' fingers closed on the needle. The tubes had already been disconnected when the initial transfusion had been completed, but the needles had remained, just in case the process needed to be repeated. Riddick's brow creased as the withdrawal began, and a growl turned into a whimper as the tip of the needle neared the surface of his skin. A steady stream of blood ran down his arm, pooling on the table and dripping onto the floor before Marie could press a wad of gauze to it and tape it down. The action was repeated on his other arm, and Riddick was trembling violently before it was over. Through his eyelids, he saw the lights flicker off, feeling Marie stay behind to watch him for a moment, and then he was alone again._

_---_

__

Chikage took Jack's hand and led her through to the hallway, tugging a little more firmly as Jack lingered to stare at the guards still passed out on the floor. She ducked into a closet, waiting until Jack was safely tucked behind her before closing the door. "What are you doing?" Jack whispered. Chikage shook her head, pulling her mobile from its clip.

"Shit."

"What?" Jack leaned in to look at the display on the mobile unit, seeing two blinking dots, one blue and one red. "What's that?"

"Come on," Chikage said quietly, cracking the door open and peering out. She slipped out into the hallway, pulling Jack closely behind her. They crept through the maze of hallways slowly, pausing at every junction to check every direction before continuing on. The blue dot had remained in the same place on the GPS map the entire time, and Chikage was getting nervous.

---

Riddick closed his eyes, shivering despite the rising heat in the absence of the air conditioning, which ran off the regular power supply Chikage had fired the branch into. He leaned heavily on the operating table in front of him, the muscles in his arms flexing as he supported himself.

_"How are we doing this morning?" Marie asked, sashaying into the room quietly. He groaned around the bit, still firmly between his teeth, and she clicked her tongue at him. "Your vitals are doing much better than we anticipated, Richard." A grunt. "Are you hungry?" He fell silent, clenching his teeth on the bit in a rhythm. "You've not eaten in a week, Richard," she said quietly, adding a small sigh. "We've had you on an IV, but I imagine your stomach is quite unhappy with us for that." A small moan. "I'll bring something by in a little bit," she said, flipping through his charts. "After dinner." He drew a sharp breath through his nose, catching another whiff of her as she passed him to hang his chart on its hook. She stopped at his side, leaning on her hands placed next to his shoulder. "I can't imagine what you're thinking, Richard," she said quietly, letting her fingers trail down his arm lightly. "Though Dr. Stevens thinks I'm completely oblivious to the medical use of operatives here," she continued, peeling the tape from around his elbow, drawing back the gauze to check the healing of where those needles once were. "But I know what goes on. They don't tell you anything because you all signed a waiver allowing them to do with you as they see fit." She sighed, rifling the hair on his arm as she replaced the gauze. "I can't pretend I don't support the projects," she said, reaching over him to check the other arm's progress. "I do, completely." Another heavy sigh. His cheek twitched as the palm of her hand settled against it. "I just wish they let you know how important you all have been to the rest of humanity." Riddick growled in protest, but she shushed him softly, running her thumb over his lower lip. "You yourself have saved thousands of lives, Richard," she whispered. He felt her weight shift as she bent down to press her lips to his forehead before she was gone. _

_---_

Chikage motioned for Jack to stay hidden in a nearby shadow as she moved slowly toward the opened door of the operating center, pausing after each foot was placed in front of the other. Her gun was held at her side as she advanced cautiously, eyes darting around until she saw him, leaning against one of the tables. She glanced back at Jack, who was staring down the hallway before turning back to him.

"Riddick?" she asked quietly. Jack's head twisted sharply toward the open door as she hugged her knees more tightly to her chest, eyes welling up with tears. Chikage took another step closer, repeating his name. A muscle in his shoulder twitched, and she swallowed. "Riddick, we have to get out of here."

---

It had been three years since the ordeal at the medical facility when he was given a new trainee. Despite his best efforts, he'd never been able to find out what they'd done to him, but he'd become stronger and more efficient at everything he did since then. He was able to build more muscle mass, sleep less and lighter and still be able to function extremely well, and every one of his senses had been heightened somehow. His quest to find out what had happened to him had been put on hold when she was put under his supervision, and the broken memories just became more and more broken. He'd awakened in a recovery room after Marie and Stevens had used him as a lab rat, and from then on, memories came as nightmares or brief flashes, never anything cohesive enough to mean anything to him. It was only suspicion that led him to believe someone – he couldn't even remember names – had done something to him. But then she showed up and it was put on the back burner, all of his extra time going into training. Now, as he stood here going over the paperwork with the equipment surrounding him, he couldn't stop the memories from returning.

_"So how'd they find you?" Yellow eyes stared up at him for a moment, and Riddick found himself grinning wickedly, noticing the corners of her lips turning upwards slightly as his grin widened. _

_"In the trenches on Airon," she said with a slight shrug. "Captain Davis showed up with his whole entourage and yanked me." She sighed, following as he turned down another corridor. Her eyes flitted over him quickly as he thumbed through the file he'd been given. "You know, brown isn't really your color," she said slowly, a smirk playing on her lips. _

_"Does it matter?" he asked, stopping to turn toward her slowly, tucking the folder under his arm. Her hands rose to rest on her hips, and she shifted her weight to thrust one hip out to the side. _

_"Just seemed like something you expected me to say," she said, expression suddenly serious. His eyebrow rose slowly. _

_"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Corporal?" Her eyebrow rose. _

_"I'm the only woman I've seen in this facility besides the secretaries, Lieutenant," she said firmly. "I'm willing to bet you think I'll wash out and end up back in the fucking trenches on Airon in less than two weeks." His brows knitted. _

_"Actually, I was giving you three," he answered. She sighed, shaking her head as she lowered her eyes. "Look, if it means anything to you, Corporal, you come highly recommended from Captain Davis. I've seen your file." Her eyes met his. "You keep that temper in check and you'll do fine." She raised an eyebrow at him. "I **am**__your superior." She blinked. "Remember that." She nodded, following him the rest of the way down the hall. _

_A year later, he transferred her from training to the field and expected another trainee. He walked into his office a week after she shipped out to find Davis in his office._

_"Captain," Riddick said slowly, nodding once as he rounded his desk. _

_"Morning, Lieutenant," Davis responded, rising from the seat he'd taken on the corner of Riddick's desk. "I have one for you."_

_"Another trainee, huh? Thought the teams were full," Riddick said with a chuckle. Davis opened his mouth to speak, but Riddick continued: "Lose more in the field?"_

_"No, Rick," Davis said with a smile, taking a seat across from Riddick. "I've got orders to throw you back in." Riddick glanced up at him sharply._

_"You're serious."_

_"As a fuckin' heart attack, man," Davis said, chuckling quietly. "Haber's been chewing on my ass for a week now trying to talk me into paying you a visit."_

_"Interesting."_

_"They need you down there, Rick," Davis insisted quietly. Riddick met his eyes again, questioning him. "Things are getting thick pretty quickly, if you know what I mean."_

_"So you want me in charge," Riddick guessed. _

_"No, I want you on our A Team." Riddick stared at him. _

_"The A Team, huh?" Riddick leaned back in his chair, rubbing the knuckle of a thumb over his chin. "That's a downgrade, Davis."_

_"Yeah, but you won't be cooped up in an office all day," Davis pointed out quickly, adding a confident smile._

_"True," Riddick granted, cocking his head to the side. _

_"And plus, you've got your protégé down there."_

_"Corporal Pierce?" Davis nodded. "I thought she was in with Warrick's group."_

_"Nope," Davis said, shaking his head. "We transferred her the day after she got there."_

_"Can I ask why and get an answer?" Riddick asked with a grin, which Davis mirrored. _

_"Had a training drill and she blew everyone away." Riddick nodded, a proud smirk turning his lips. "She's on sniper detail on A." Riddick's smile fell in surprise. That was a huge step, going from a lower team to a sniper on the A Team._

_"Wow," was all he could think to say. _

_"She's the best there is, Rick," Davis said seriously. "And you're the best striker we've got. I want both of you on the same team." Riddick fell quiet, toying with a paperweight as he thought it over. Finally, he tossed the paperweight back onto the desk and met Davis' eyes. _

_"When do I ship out?" He'd gone to his quarters an hour later, the entire contents of his office held in a small cardboard box under his arm. The box was tossed in the bottom of a closet and his clothes were folded neatly before being stacked in his duffel bag, along with other items he couldn't leave without, mostly necessities. Davis met him at the helicopter an hour and a half later._

_"C'mon, Lieutenant." Davis gestured toward the helicopter and Riddick grinned, tossing his duffel to a nearby Private._

_"Yeah, yeah," he replied with a smile._

"We have to get out of here." Riddick turned sharply, pistol drawn and shaking as he pointed it at a pair of yellow eyes. "Riddick?" Her brows furled as her hands rose slowly, and she took a step back. He blinked a few times, shaking his head as he lowered the gun. "Riddick, we have to get her out of here."

"Jack?" She nodded slowly, glancing over her shoulder. "Wait, how long have we been here?"

"Forty-five minutes, Riddick," she said, shaking her head in confusion. "We have to leave now," she repeated. He nodded. "Just so you know, she doesn't know you're here. I didn't want her freaking out on me when I was getting her out." Another small nod, the hand holding the gun hanging loosely at his side. "Are you okay?" she asked after a beat.

"We have to talk later," he said, walking toward her. Her eyebrow rose, but she nodded, following him out the door. Jack's eyes widened as he appeared and she took a breath to say something but he shook his head. Her mouth snapped shut and she nodded, scrambling to her feet. "Stay close," he instructed, leading the way down the hall toward the door they entered through. They halted when the lights flickered on, ducking into the storage room where the metal crates were. Chikage swore, but Riddick only walked to the door leading to the courtyard and reached out to the handle.

"Riddick, if the power's back on you'll trip the alarm," she said quickly. Jack glanced up at her before looking back to Riddick.

"I thought you jammed it," he said.

"Yeah, but it doesn't work forever," she said quietly, glancing at the door. A shadow swayed in the crack between the floor and the bottom of the door, and Chikage held out a hand, nodding toward the movement. Riddick motioned for Jack to crouch behind a pile of boxes as he moved to the door. The lights flickered again and then went out, and Chikage let out a breath slowly, reaching for her nightvision glasses as the door creaked. A sickening crack echoed off the walls, and Chikage heard Riddick's quick breath as he walked back to her side.

"Now," was all he said, and she nodded, hearing Jack clamber out from her hiding place to follow. He paused at the door, glancing back at Chikage. "Can you jam it from the inside?"

"Is there a keypad?" He shook his head. "No."

"When the door opens, run. Don't stop until you get into the woods," he instructed. Both she and Jack nodded and he reached for the door. A shrill buzzing began as soon as he turned the handle, and all three of them bolted, hearing boots pounding behind them.

"Chi, my legs," Jack gasped, falling to the ground in a heap.

"Shit. Riddick!" Chikage called.

"I got her. You keep going," Riddick commanded through gritted teeth as he turned to retrieve Jack. Chikage glanced over her shoulder, her heart pounding in her ears as she saw the guards gaining on them. Riddick was still stooped over Jack, trying to help her to her feet, but she kept collapsing. Chikage slid to a stop as she heard clicks, turning quickly as the guards armed their weapons as they ran toward Riddick and Jack. Riddick swept the girl over his shoulder and started off at a full on run again. "Go!" he bellowed, pointing to the woods. Chikage took off again, her boots crashing through the thin brush as she neared the forest. A shot rang out, then three more, and she grabbed a nearby tree to stop herself. Two guards had fallen, and Jack was taking aim again. Chikage managed a small smile as another fell to the ground, and she continued on to the ship.

Her lungs were burning when she got there, her knees nearly turned into jello, but she struggled up the ramp and up the steps to the cockpit to prep the ship. Riddick broke through the forest just as the engines roared, and she heard the hydraulics kick in as the ramp was closed. Harness in place, she waited, hearing a pair of boots thump up the stairs.

"Ship's ready," she said quietly, watching Riddick take the seat next to her.

"Good," he answered with a nod. "Jack, strap in."

"Where?" Chikage turned to look over her shoulder at the girl standing in the middle of the cockpit, her arms wound around her middle tightly as she shivered.

"There's a pull down chair behind you," he said quietly, flipping switches and pushing buttons. "Hurry up." Chikage glanced at him sharply, but he was concentrating too hard on takeoff, so she let it go. "Chi, change the IP address if you can." She nodded, pulling out her keyboard. "And call up the radar." Another small nod. She glanced over her shoulder to throw Jack a reassuring smile, but it fell quickly. Jack was strapped in, her legs pulled up to her chest, and she was just staring down at her toes. "Can you encrypt the IP right now?"

"It'll take me a while if you want me to watch the radar," she said slowly. He glanced at her as he steered the plane around to take off.

"Send the radar up to the main monitor and work on the IP," he said. She nodded, and the cabin fell silent. __


	20. Chapter 20

Lifeline

Chapter 20

Chikage smiled at Jack as the girl wolfed down a bowl of thin soup, while she sipped on a cup of hot tea. They sat in silence until Jack finished the soup, leaning back in her chair with a contented sigh.

"Feel better?" Chikage asked quietly.

"Yeah, a little," Jack said with a small nod. "I wish you'd let me have some real food though."

"I doubt you could handle it right now," Chikage explained with a quiet chuckle, watching Jack shrug. "I know how you feel though," she continued. "Maybe we'll try solid food later tonight after you've gotten some rest," she said, reaching out to ruffle Jack's messy hair. Jack nodded, watching her spoon teeter back and forth where she'd dropped it in her bowl.

"Do you know where we're going?"

"Not at the moment, no," Chikage answered. "I don't think Riddick plans on setting down anywhere for a while." Jack's eyes met hers at the mention of Riddick.

"Is he pissed?" Jack asked softly, dropping her eyes back to her spoon.

"Not at you, Jack," Chikage answered. "None of this is your fault."

"If I'd just stayed with Imam none of this would have happened," Jack insisted. "Of course it's my fault."

"Jack, this didn't happen because you ran away," Chikage pressed. "These people don't have any problems getting what they want. Even if you'd stayed in New Mecca, there's no guarantee you would have been safe." Jack nodded, but Chikage wasn't convinced. "You know, Riddick was so frantic to get you out of there," she said quietly. "I don't think I've ever seen him so desperate." Jack looked up at her again and managed a small smile.

"I guess I have that effect on him," she said with a small shrug. "Get myself into fucked up situations and he has to rescue me again."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that anymore," Chikage said quietly. Jack's eyebrows rose. "You're more than welcome to stay with us." Her brows fell, and she looked away.

"I don't want to make him do that," she whispered.

"Jack, I don't think he's planning on letting you run off again, to be completely honest with you," Chikage said with a smile.

"Really." Chi only nodded, taking another sip of tea. "How do you know him?"

"I've known him a while," she said with a noncommittal shrug. "We used to work together." Jack's eyebrow rose.

"Riddick works alone," she said, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"He didn't back then," Chikage said. "You should ask him sometime." Jack's eyes narrowed. "He tells the story better than I do," she added with a small chuckle. Jack's smile was fleeting, replaced by a monstrous yawn. "Listen, why don't you go take a shower and catch a little sleep?"

"Sounds good to me," Jack said, stretching her arms over her head with a groan.

"Bathroom's through that hallway," Chikage said, nodding her head. "The room on the right is yours." Jack nodded and stood, shuffling sorely to the door. Chikage drained the last of her tea, set her cup in the sink, and started up the steps. Riddick glanced at her from the corner of his eye as she sat next to him, slouching down in her chair.

"How's she holding up?" he asked gruffly.

"She thinks you're pissed off at her." He turned to look at her and she shrugged. "I did the best I could to convince her otherwise, but she's got the situation figured out pretty well."

"I'm not mad at her," Riddick insisted.

"I know. What I'm saying is that she's figured out that you enter her life when she needs saving. I'm not sure if she believed me when I told her she was welcome to stay on here." Riddick sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Give her time, Riddick," Chikage said gently. "It'll take her a while to learn to get used to having you around again, especially on a regular basis."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"How's she being toward you?"

"Fine, I guess," Chikage said with a shrug. "I hadn't really thought about it much." They fell silent for a while, and she turned to look at him as he took a breath.

"How's she feel about us?"

"I haven't told her." His eyebrow rose. "It's not important right now, Riddick," she said. He nodded, turning his attention back to the window. "I gave her my room, by the way. She's in the shower right now and then she's gonna get some sleep."

"You want to go ahead and move your stuff into my room while she's cleaning up?" he asked, reaching out to adjust a setting on the computer. Chikage nodded and stood, walking toward the door and only getting a few steps before pausing and turning back to him.

"Can I make a suggestion?" His head turned slightly toward her, but he didn't say anything. "Try not to think about where we just were when you're around her." He turned fully around to look at her. "You'll get pissed off, and she'll know it, but she'll think it's directed at her. She blames herself for this, Riddick." He nodded, lowering his eyes for a moment. "She needs a friend right now, not a savior." Another small nod, and she turned to descend the steps.

She rifled through the drawers, picking out some of the smaller items of clothing she had and leaving them on the bed for Jack before taking the rest of her things into Riddick's room. As she crossed the hallway, she glanced up to see him walking down the stairs. She managed a small smile as she ducked into the room, tossing her things onto his bed before returning to her room to gather the rest. He was sitting on his bed when she returned.

"Any specific drawers you want me to use?" He shook his head, so she started refolding and putting her clothes away, his eyes on her the whole time. "I left some of my stuff on the bed for her to wear. Might be a little big, but it's better than nothing." She glanced out into the hallway, hearing the shower still running. "Maybe we should stop somewhere and pick some stuff up for her after a while." He nodded again, and she sighed. "What happened?" she finally asked.

"Not now." Her eyebrow rose, but the water shut off, and she nodded. "After she's asleep we'll talk upstairs." Chikage put the last of her things away while Riddick headed into the kitchen to rifle through the fridge. The bathroom door opened, and Jack paused in the hallway just outside Riddick's room. She glanced at Chikage quickly before ducking into her room, and Chikage stood, crossing the hall.

"I laid out some clothes that might fit you," she said quietly, leaning against the doorframe. "We'll stop somewhere once it's safe and get you some stuff of your own." Jack nodded. "If you need anything, just let one of us know, okay?" Another small nod, and Chikage smiled reassuringly before joining Riddick in the kitchen, still rummaging through the refrigerator. "I'll make something for all of us," she said quietly, leaning against the counter. Riddick straightened, eyebrow arched, but he shrugged, letting the door swing shut. She took over, taking several bowls from the fridge and setting them on the counter as Riddick took a seat at the table.

"You're being domestic?" he asked playfully. She turned to glare for a moment before letting the smile surface as she turned back to making a meal, glancing up toward Jack's door every now and then. "Want me to check on her?"

"Would you?" she asked, turning back to him. He shrugged, standing and going to Jack's door. The next time she turned in that direction, he was inside with her, she figured. A few moments later, she felt him rest his chin on her shoulder, watching her fingers as she sliced a chunk of meat into thin steaks, then cut the steaks into cubes, dumping them into a large pot.

"What are you making?" he asked, still hovering.

"Whatever it turns out to be." She felt the chuckle vibrate through his chest and smiled. "So talk to me." He sighed, shaking his head as he wrapped his arms around her middle. "Okay, don't then," she said, shrugging. "But you do know you're going to have to tell me eventually before I kick your ass."

"Yeah, I know," he said quietly. "I just have to think about some things for a while." She nodded, and he left her to check on the cockpit.

---

Jack was already awake when she heard someone call that dinner was ready. For the life of her, she couldn't remember the woman's name. All she knew right now was that she ached from the inside out and Riddick was on this ship somewhere. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her forehead further into the pillow before finally deciding to get up and make an appearance. _Oh yeah. She said her name was 'Chi.' That's right_, Jack thought with a small smile. She avoided both pairs of eyes as she rounded the corner into what she figured was the mess hall, and took the seat furthest away from Riddick and closest to her door. He slid across the bench, reaching out to tousle her hair slightly as Chikage set a huge bowl of what looked like chili in front of her.

"How you doin', kid?" Riddick asked quietly. She only shrugged, glancing up to watch Chikage set a bigger bowl in front of Riddick. "Smells good, Chi," he said, breaking into a grin as she set a cutting board in the middle of the table, a freshly slicked loaf of cornbread steaming.

"Dig in, guys," Chi said lightly, retrieving her own bowl of chili from the counter. She watched Jack watch Riddick take the first bite before she tried her own, making a face as though she were surprised it was edible, and Chikage stifled a snicker as she took her seat. "You get to do dishes." Jack's head snapped up, a foul comment on the tip of her tongue, but she forgot what she would have said as Chi's eyes shone playfully up at Riddick, who was openly scowling.

"You got them dirty," he pouted. Jack found herself mirroring Chi's smirk.

"Exactly," the older woman continued. "I slaved to fix you a home cooked meal, and the least you can do is wash the dishes." His eyebrow rose, but he didn't say anything. "Oh come on. There's one big pot, three bowls, three spoons, two knives, a cutting board, and a loaf pan. Ten minutes tops," she pressed, rolling her eyes. "All you have to do is rinse them off and lock them in the washer."

"That's it," he growled, shaking his head. "Nothin' but microwave dinners from now on." He hid his smile behind a huge spoonful of chili.

"Aw, Riddick, c'mon," Jack finally whined. "This is really good." He glanced at her quickly, then back to Chi.

"Yeah, fine," he relented, slipping a wink to Chi that went unnoticed by Jack. "Alright."

"Big Evil doin' dishes," Jack muttered to herself with a smile. "Wish I had a camera."

"What was that?" Riddick asked quickly, finally letting the smirk show.

"Nothing," she drawled, grinning back. He shook his head as Chikage snickered, turning back to his food.

"Where'd you get that name?" Jack glanced up quickly, suddenly not seeing the humor in the conversation, and Riddick shook his head slightly, sending her a smile.

"Had it for a while, back when I was the hot thing in all the papers," he said with a shrug.

"Well with your rap sheet and inability to be inconspicuous, I think it's fitting," Chi said playfully, winking over at Jack, who relaxed slightly.

"So um," Jack started, clearing her throat, "How do you know each other?" she finally finished, quickly hiding behind a hunk of cornbread, the butter dripping off her fingertips into her bowl. Riddick glanced at Chi, who raised her eyebrows, and Jack thought about telling him to never mind, but he took a breath and she lost her voice.

"Well, Chikage and I go way back," he started, pausing to shovel another heap of chili in. _Chikage, huh? No wonder you go by Chi. Imagine having to explain how to spell that to someone,_ Jack thought with a mental grin. "I trained her back in Company Black Ops and ended up on the same team as her." Jack's eyes widened. "Best sniper ever," he added, nodding with satisfaction.

"Oh, and I bet you're gonna take all the credit," Jack quipped.

"No, I just gave her the tools and she did the rest," Riddick said, shaking his head for emphasis. "Come to think of it, I was a shitty sniper, wasn't I?" he asked, turning back to Chi. She barely bit back the roar of laughter.

"Yeah you were," she managed.

"Wait, wait, wait," Jack said suddenly, holding her hands out to silence both of them. "Company?"

"Yeah, go figure, huh?" Riddick said with a sheepish shrug.

"What happened?"

"That's a long story, Jack," Riddick sighed, shaking his head. "Why don't we save it for another time?" She shrugged, the silence returning as she continued devouring her chili. Riddick stood, taking his bowl and picking up Chi's as well, smiling down at Jack as she continued eating. "Done with the cornbread?" he asked. Jack glanced up to make sure he was talking to her before nodding. As soon as his back was turned, Jack looked over at Chi for a moment, watching her lean back in her chair and fold her hands over her stomach.

"You domesticated him," she commented quietly, Chi's eyes suddenly twinkling as she chuckled.

"I heard that Jack," came Riddick's voice. Jack couldn't stifle the snicker fast enough.

"He's still got a bit of a wild streak in him," Chi answered. "No worries." Jack nodded, her smile lingering as she spooned the last bite of her chili into her mouth and stood, setting her bowl on the counter next to Riddick.

"I think I'm gonna go back to bed," she said quietly. Riddick nodded, bending down to drop a quick kiss on the top of her head. She stared up at him for a moment as though he were an alien, but blinked a few times and shook the expression. "Night."

"Good night, Jack," Chi said quietly, watching her disappear back into the bedroom. She heaved a sigh and stood, going to Riddick's side to help him load the washer. He rinsed, she loaded, and the work was quickly done. Riddick headed up to the cockpit to switch the settings over to night mode and check the gravitational spiral, while Chikage headed up to the library, flopping onto one of the couches. He appeared in the doorway a few moments later, wearing a somber expression as she sat up to let him sit next to her. His leg swung around her, hands grasping her shoulders to pull her backwards against his chest. She wound an arm around each of his knees, letting her lead fall back against his shoulder.

"She seems okay," he said quietly. "Not quite herself, but she not as traumatized as I was expecting." She turned her head toward him, her nose tucked under his chin.

"What do you know about her past, before you knew her?" she asked quietly. He shrugged, rubbing her shoulders lightly.

"Not much, really," he answered. "Her parents died a few years before I met her, and she was hopping ships pretending to be a boy so she'd be less of a target." He shook his head slowly, letting his eyes close. "The circumstances though," he continued. "Not really a situation where you ask those questions." She nodded, and a comfortable silence settled in the room.

"Talk to me Riddick," she finally said quietly, her hands following the seams of his pant legs from his knees to his ankles and over again.

"'Bout what?" She sighed. "God, Chi," he breathed after a moment, shaking his head. "Nothing but broken memories for so fucking long, and then all of a sudden, it all makes sense."

"What?"

"Did you ever hear of the Evanis program?" She started, pulling away from him quickly to stare up at him.

"Don't tell me it wasn't just a rumor," she said, shaking her head. His eyebrow rose. "Riddick…" she said, trailing off.

"We need to track down Dr. Michael Stevens and Marie Bournet," he said. "I've got a couple questions I need answered."

"Riddick…"

"I was a part of the last research group in the program, Chikage," he said gently. Her eyes closed, her head dropping to his chest as she wound her arms around his waist.

"Jesus Christ," she whispered, her words muffled into his shirt. She felt his arms wrap around her, one hand playing in her hair as he held her.

"I found some paperwork that should give us a start," he said. "Signatures and stuff. Have to see what we can do with it." She nodded against him. "Look, Chi," he started, pausing to lick his lips. "I don't know…" he trailed off. "I just…" A heavy sigh. "Well, shit. This changes everything," he groaned, shifting under her weight. She still clung tightly to him, her fingers drawing imaginary patterns along his back. "I mean, I know everyone in the Ops was a fucking lab rat, but this… this is completely different." She lifted her head, her eyes sad as they met his.

"How much do you remember?" she asked quietly. A brow twitched downward slightly, and he swallowed.

"All of it, I think." Her forehead crinkled, and her eyes fell away from his.

"It explains a lot, you know?"

"Yeah, but I don't know what's gonna happen later," he said. "I mean, this was more than twenty years ago. That kind of thing is perfectly safe now, but then? Hell, that's why they used us to do the testing." She drew a sharp breath and let it out slowly. "I always knew something happened that I couldn't remember to make me different from everyone else," he continued pensively. "But I never even considered being an ERPC a possibility." She nodded. ERPC was an acronym few people, even those in the Company Black Ops, knew. It stood for Evanis Research Project Candidate, and Riddick was the first of the ERPCs to survive, though he didn't know it yet.

"Do you think that's why company set you up for the strike disaster?" she asked quietly.

"I hadn't thought about that, but yeah, it makes sense," he replied. "Do you remember much of what they did to you?"

"Yeah." She felt him looking at her and closed her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it right now." He nodded, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"It's been a long day," he said gruffly. "Let's get some sleep." She nodded, stifling a yawn as he stood, pulling her to her feet. His fingers remained wrapped around hers as he walked down the stairs, pulling his boots off and climbing under the sheets. She did the same, crawling in next to him, immediately feeling his arm wrap over her side and his fingers twine in hers again, squeezing gently. She squeezed back and pressed her back into his chest, shifting slightly to get comfortable.


	21. Chapter 21

Lifeline

Chapter 21

Chikage squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, shaking her head before refocusing on her computer. She'd set up her notebook at the kitchen table and patched it in to the ship's network. Riddick was up in the cockpit mapping out a new course, heading toward a small planet where they could land inconspicuously and Chikage could take Jack into town to get some clothes. Jack was still asleep in her room, the lights throughout the ship called down to dim, partly to ease Riddick's eyes, and partly to let Jack sleep without being in total darkness. She'd thrown a fit last night when Chikage turned off the lights, and Riddick had spent a good two hours in with her to calm her down, finally calling up the lighting to dim.

She sighed, typing on the keyboard some more, shaking her head as she tried over and over to reword her search to get something, anything back. With a frustrated growl, she snapped the laptop shut and stood, pouring another cup of coffee before trudging up the stairs to the cockpit, where Riddick was bent over her nav computer.

"Anything interesting?"

"No," she said sulkily. He turned slightly, sending her an amused smile quickly before turning back to his work. "What are you working on? Routes?"

"No, I've already got the course programmed in," he answered with a slight shake of the head. Her eyebrow rose, and she lowered herself into her chair. A crumpled piece of paper was laid on the console, and she reached out slowly, her eyes scanning over the document slowly. The color drained from her face as she continued to read, not noticing  
her keyboard stop clicking and Riddick turn to watch her read. Her eyes got to the bottom of the page and immediately started over again at the top. "Stevens is dead," he said quietly. Her eyes met his blankly. "The doctor." A small nod. "His signature's at the bottom." Another, more confident nod. "I'm working on tracking down Marie right now."

"Why?"

"I have some unanswered questions," he said quietly. "Important ones."

"And you think if you can find her, you'll get the answers," she guessed. An almost nervous expression flitted across his face, but he nodded slowly. "I take it the Evanis program never did any follow ups, huh?" she asked, returning the document to the console.

"Not that I can find," he answered, turning back to his computer. "And if it turns out Marie is gone, I don't know what I'm gonna do." She sighed.

"Riddick…" she trailed off, eyeing him warily. When she didn't continue, he turned to glance at her. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"I have to, Chi," he said, trying to convince her with a confident nod. "If what I went through… if what they did to me…" he stopped, shaking his head and avoiding her eyes. "The only thing I can find out about it without drawing too much attention right now is there was only one person that survived the last two phases of the project."

"You." He made no gesture to answer.

"I don't know how many phases there were, or what happened in any of the phases except what was done to me," he continued. "I don't even know how many people were in each group. All I know is that it was shut down shortly after I was released back into active duty."

"Do you know where the files would be stored?" He shook his head, flopping back in his chair in defeat. "Probably headquarters, wouldn't you think?"

"Either that or the main research branch," he suggested with a shrug.

"Well, we can scope out both." His head snapped toward her, mouth hanging open in surprise. "Sink a termyte in and see what we can access."

"Won't that leave a trail?"

"I can alter the chip to make the originating IP hop sporadically, so as long as I keep an eye on things and shut it down when we're not using it, we should be okay," she said.

"This isn't the kind of situation where 'should be' cuts it," he said sternly.

"I can't guarantee anything with any of my gadgets, Riddick." He sighed, staring at the floor for a while.

"Let me do some more digging and see if I can track her down. We'll go in as a last resort."

"So what happens when you do?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know," he answered, sucking a lip between his teeth. "I have a feeling she'd remember me." Her eyebrow rose. "Stevens did a lot of the work, but when I was, um…" he paused, a pained expression falling over his features, "out of it, she was always checking on me." Chi nodded. "Come to think of it, she was there for everything."

"Do you know what they did to you, or just have a hunch?"

"The clipboard I found didn't have any of the specifics," he sighed, "but from what I can tell…" another long pause, and he let out a shaky breath, instantly making her nervous. She'd never seen him so affected by anything, not like this anyway. If he was every bothered by something it manifested as anger at the least, but this was something else entirely, and it shook her almost as much as it did him. "I was engineered." The breath left her suddenly.

"Engineered." A slow nod. "How?" He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," she stammered, standing slowly. "It's none of my business." She walked to the door quickly, stopping when his voice continued.

"All I remember is two huge needles and a machine." She turned to look at him, but he was leaning on his elbows, his head hanging to stare at his shoes. "One in each arm, both hooked up to the machine somehow." She took slow steps back to his chair, lowering herself into it slowly. "I think I was in there for a week or so. Marie said something about be not eating for a week, being on an IV or something. Must have been longer than that. I don't know. But my right arm was always cold, and my left was always tingly."

"Two machines?"

"No, one. There was just one," he insisted. "Stevens said something about a transfusion." Chikage's brow furled in confusion. "I think they set up a clone blood bag to make sure I had enough to stay alive while they drained me into the machine so it could alter whatever they wanted and then injected it back into me." He continued to avoid her eyes, falling silent again. "Is that a crazy theory?" She took a breath and paused, glancing at him quickly.

"Not really," she answered quietly.

"You know," he said, pausing to lick his lips, "I always wanted to know what happened in all those blank moments of my life." He shook his head. "Now that I do, I'm not sure I want to any more." She reached out, taking his hands in hers.

"All of us were guinea pigs, Riddick," she said gently. "Every single one of us was tinkered with somehow." He gave her a small nod, but didn't meet her eyes. She gave his fingers a squeeze. "There's a record of what happened to you somewhere."

"What if there's not?" He asked, finally looking up at her.

"They wouldn't throw something like that away. It might be buried, but it's there." A small nod, and he looked away again, pulling his hands from hers to stand.

"I'll keep looking for Marie if you want me to," she offered quietly. He nodded, his back to her. She stood as well, resting a hand gently on his back before leaving him to return to her computer.

---

"How are you feeling?" Chikage glanced up from the computer as Jack shuffled out of her room.

"Okay," the girl said quietly, rubbing her nose.

"Hungry?" Jack shook her head no, plopping down at the table across from Chikage.

"What are you workin' on?"

"Riddick needs to track some people down," Chikage said quietly. "Ask them some questions."

"Is he a hitman now?" Jack asked the question while staring up into Chikage's eyes without expression, like it was a question someone heard every day. Chikage blinked quickly.

"No, Jack," she finally answered. "He found out some things about his past he wants cleared up."

"So how are you all affording this ship and all your gear and stuff?"

"We've saved over the years," Chikage said quietly, turning back to her computer. Jack nodded, watching Chikage work for a while. "There's a library upstairs if you get bored," Chikage said, glancing up with a small smile. Jack nodded, also smiling lightly. "Feel free," she added, nodding her head toward the back stairwell. Jack stood, glancing at the refrigerator.

"Can I take something up with me?"

"Sure. Dinner's gonna be in a few hours, just so you know," she answered with a wink. Jack nodded, taking a can of soda before disappearing up the steps, her bare feet thudding across the library floor above Chikage's head. Chi only smiled, turning back to her work. Her brows furled as she scrolled down a list of documents, pulling one up, her eyes widening as she read. Her hands shook as she closed the document and snapped her computer shut, hearing Riddick's boots thunking down the front stairs. He went straight to the fridge.

"We're landing in five hours," he said quietly. She stretched her arms overhead with a low growl, stifling a yawn as she recoiled. He suddenly glanced around the kitchen, his eyes falling on her. "Where's Jack?"

"Library," she said, reaching out for her coffee cup. He looked in the direction of the stairs and nodded, turning back to the fridge. "You wanna wait until we get planetside to eat? Just go out somewhere?"

"I'll stick out, Chi," he said, a slight chide in his voice. She chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You can take Jack out though," he said cocking his head to the side for a moment, rifling past containers at the front of the shelf. "When you're out getting her some clothes and stuff."

"I was planning on it," she said quietly. He turned around, opening a jug of milk, drinking straight from it. Her eyebrow rose.

"Can you pick up some more milk?" She watched him drain the last of it, the corners of her lips turning upwards slightly as he licked the moustache from his upper lip.

"Yeah, sure," she said with a nod. He nodded as well, tossing the container in the trash. "C'mere," she said quietly, watching his eyes narrow for a second before he complied. He stopped just short of his toes touching hers, and she reached out, winding her hand in the front of his shirt. A small smile played on his lips as she tugged, bringing his lips down to hers for a quick kiss. He broke away, his nose just barely brushing hers, his eyes level with hers.

"What was that for?" he crooned, tilting his head slightly, letting his lips graze hers lightly.

"Because I wanted it."

---

"So how long is this going to take?" Jack asked, taking two quick steps for each of Chikage's long strides. She glanced down at the girl and slowed.

"As long as it takes," she answered with a shrug. "You wanna eat first?"

"Doesn't matter to me."

"I'm starving," Chikage said quietly, nodding toward a small deli a block away.

"Let's eat first then." Jack followed Chi into the restaurant, leaning on the counter next to her to stare up at the menu, then followed to a table in the back corner, Chi taking the seat where she could see the rest of the deli as they waited for their orders. She couldn't help but smile as Jack's eyes widened when her plate was set in front of her, pausing just to look at the giant sandwich before greedily digging in.

"Don't eat too much," Chi warned, taking a bite of her chicken salad on croissant. "We've got a lot of walking to do before we leave." Jack nodded, sinking her teeth in again. To Chikage's surprise, Jack finished the gigantic meal and leaned back, rubbing her stomach contentedly. "Ready?" A quick nod, and Jack followed her out.

Truth be told, Chikage hated – absolutely despised – shopping, unless it was for hardware or gadgets. She let Jack pick the stores and what she wanted, waiting outside the fitting rooms patiently as she tried her things on. A few hours later, she was carrying more than half the bags Jack had acquired back to the ship, the girl skipping happily alongside her. Once outside the main part of the city, Chikage flipped her mobile on and plugged in the earpiece and microphone to let Riddick know they were on the way back.

The ramp was down when they arrived at the private landing strip Riddick had located, and Jack bounded up to the main level, Chikage not far behind. She heard the hatch click shut and nearly plowed Jack over. Riddick was staring up at them, leaning over her computer at the kitchen table.

"Uh, Jack? Why don't you go ahead and start unpacking," Chikage suggested, taking a step past her to set the grocery bags on the counter. Jack nodded, backing into her room. Paper crinkled as she started on putting her new clothes away, and Chikage unloaded the food she'd gotten.

"When were you planning on telling me?" Riddick asked, his voice low and more gravelly than usual.

"Telling you what?" she asked, bending to set the milk in the fridge. She heard him spin her computer around and glanced over her shoulder, her eyes shifting from him to the computer, and back to him.

"When did you find this?" he demanded, raising his voice slightly. She sighed, turning back to the groceries.

"This afternoon. I was going to do some more research later tonight to see if there was anything connected," she answered quietly.

"So when were going to tell me about this?" She whirled around, settling a hand on her hip.

"As soon as I found out if it was accurate and could find the context instead of just taking it by itself, Riddick," she snapped. "You might have already figured this out, but you're not taking on a cut and dry mission here. The shit you're getting into now isn't just a simple single document. There's a lot of things to consider, and taking everything as a part of a bigger picture could end up being a lot more helpful than taking each thing as a separate piece of the whole, and you know it as well as I do."

"So you were just going to figured the whole thing out yourself and _then_ let me in on it, huh?" She sighed, shaking her head.

"I didn't say that," she mumbled.

"What then?"

"Look, you're too close to this. You're not going to be able to take something like that as what it is without having more information to go along with it."

"So what is it, then?" he growled as he stood, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's one file. I wasn't about to stay there long enough to raise a flag. That's why I saved it and closed everything down," she said, taking an equally intimidating stance. They stared at each other for a while, neither moving or speaking.

"God. You guys sound like you're married." They both turned their heads to see Jack leaning against the wall wearing an openly amused expression. Chikage snickered, shaking her head as she went back to putting groceries away.


	22. Chapter 22

Lifeline

Chapter 22

Chikage glanced up from her computer to see Riddick standing in the front stairwell doorway, just leaning against the doorframe, his form a silhouette. She managed a weak smile before turning her eyes back to the screen, resuming her typing. The chair across from her scraped quietly against the floor, and he sat, folding his arms on the table.

"Jack asleep?" She nodded, not looking up from her work. "How long?"

"A few hours," she answered quietly. "I think the excursion into town wore her out a little." Riddick nodded, leaning back in the chair. "Any luck?"

"I might have a few leads, but nothing concrete yet," he sighed, rubbing his eyes. She glanced up at him, worry flitting over her face for a moment, but it was gone by the time he looked at her again. She nodded, and stared back at the computer.

"Might want to try hospitals next," she suggested. "If she was a nurse then, she'd probably stay in the field."

"I thought about that," he agreed. "Figure I'll start tomorrow."

"You think she kept the same name?" she asked, glancing up at him quickly.

"I doubt it. I was planning on cross-referencing transfer dates first. Seeing where it led." She nodded, saving her work and quietly closing up the laptop. His eyes stayed on her as she rested her head on a fist, her elbow sliding out until she was nearly laying on the table. He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb lingering for a moment on her cheek as her eyes closed. "You're wearing your hair down more," he noted. She only shrugged, opening her eyes to glance at the clock on the microwave.

"It's not been impractical lately." They spent a few minutes with him looking at her, and her looking everywhere but him.

"I'm sorry, Chi," he finally said. Her eyes met his for just a fleeting moment, and she shrugged, sitting up to rub her forehead.

"Not a big deal," she replied with a sigh. "Lot of tension right now."

"Yeah, but I over-reacted." Yellow met silver and stayed there for a moment. "I didn't think you were hiding anything from me anyway. I don't know why I did that." She smiled slightly, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter, Riddick. It's not a big deal," she repeated. "When are we moving on?" His eyebrow rose. "I didn't figure you'd want to stay here long."

"Probably leave tomorrow," he said, the confusion disappearing from his face. "I wanted to get back into the lanes and stay there for a while if you think she can handle it," he said, nodding toward Jack's room. She followed his gaze, then nodded.

"I think she'd prefer to be away from other people for a while." His eyebrow arched again, and she chuckled. "I think she feels safer up there," she explained. "Away from the cities and all." He nodded slowly, rubbing a hand over his head.

"I need to shave," he commented quietly.

"I wondered when you would notice," she jibed, receiving an evil grin.

"You know, I think I might grow it out for a while." Her eyebrow rose, trying to imagine him with hair. "If I do end up tracking Marie down, she might be less likely to recognize me that way." Chi nodded, reaching out to run her fingers over his prickly scalp.

"We'll see how long it lasts." She stood then, leaning backwards to stretch. "I'm going to bed," she announced, giving his shoulder a squeeze before leaving the room. He followed, poking his head into Jack's room for a moment before joining Chikage in their room.

"Should probably get some doors hung," he said, glancing across the hall as Chikage peeled her shirt off. She followed his gaze and shrugged. "I'm sure both of you would want some privacy, right?"

"Doesn't bother me, but I imagine she wouldn't mind," she answered with a shrug.

"I wouldn't mind either," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. Her head turned to look over her shoulder at him, and he only smirked at her. Her shoulders shook with silent laughter as she finished changing, letting out a contented sight as she wriggled under the sheets. He wasn't far behind, cradling her against his side. Her arm snaked around his middle, her fingers tucking between his skin and the bottom sheet. "I'll get up tomorrow and go find something to hang as doors," he said quietly, planting a kiss on her forehead. She nodded against his chest, her nostrils flaring as she stifled a yawn.

"Wake me when you get up this time, huh?" He chuckled.

"Sure."

"I mean it.

"I know you do," he said, the laugh remaining in his voice. "I will." She nodded in satisfaction and shifted against his side. They fell quiet, listening to Jack's quiet snores from across the hall. "You think she's really as okay as she seems?" he finally asked.

"I don't know," she answered quietly. "I'd like to think so, but there's no telling." He sighed. "I'm sure we'll find out eventually though." He glanced down at her with a start, and she looked up at him. "If she's just pretending to be okay, it won't last forever. I think we just need to give her time to figure things out."

"Yeah, I guess," he said with a shrug.

"She'll come to one of us if she needs to." He was quiet for a while, and she propped herself up on an elbow, eyebrow quirked questioningly.

"I'll bet she goes to you," he said with a hint of pout. She pursed her lips into a scolding look, and he raised both eyebrows as a challenge.

"Why do you say that?"

"She just seems more comfortable with you," he said with a shrug, shifting next to her, adjusting the leg she'd thrown between his.

"Why do you say that?"

"She's hardly said ten words to me since she got here, Chi," he explained.

"Just give her time," she advised. He sighed, draping his forearm over his eyes. "I know you expected her to be the same girl she was before, but she's been through hell and back. Just let her do this at her own pace." He nodded. "She'll warm back up to you eventually." Silence settled over them, and soon three sets of quiet snores echoed through the lower level of the ship.

---

Chikage inhaled sharply, her eyes squeezing shut as she wormed around under the sheets. A pair of lips pressed to her shoulder, and her eyes popped open, her head snapping to look to the side of the bed.

"I'm leaving," Riddick whispered with a small smile. She nodded, making an unhappy face at him as she flopped on her other side to face him. "Go back to sleep," he said, chuckling as he smoothed her wild hair away from her face before standing up.

"I'm awake now," she croaked, scrunching her eyes closed as she stretched lazily, her toes curling. She smiled up at him now, shifting further under the covers. He leaned over to press his lips lightly to hers, and turned, leaving the room. She heard the hydraulics as the ramp lowered, then again as it raised, and the click as it locked. She heaved a sigh and stretched again, reaching out to her sock drawer. As she pulled a pair on, she sat up, yawning. Her black sweats were pulled over the shorts she'd worn to bed, along with a flannel button down over the frumpled wife beater.

She shuffled toward the kitchen, pausing to smile at Jack, who was strewn all over her bed, the sheets rumpled and twisted. Jack's toes twitched, and Chi snickered quietly, shaking her head as she continued to the counter, starting a pot of coffee. Jack appeared a few seconds after the smell started wafting through the rooms, her hair as mussed as her sheets. She flopped at the table, roaring out a monstrous yawn.

"Hungry?" She looked up at Chikage through bleary eyes, blinking slowly a few times before nodding.

"Time is it?"

"It's early," Chi answered, dropping a few slices of bread into the toaster.

"Where's Riddick?" She glanced over at the girl, watching her stretch.

"He went to get something to hang as doors," she said, reaching for the toast. "You want butter?" Jack nodded. "God only knows what he comes back with," Chikage said with a smile, rifling through the fridge to find a tub of butter. Jack watched her as she fixed breakfast. "Probably shower curtains or something." Jack smiled, shrugging.

"It'd be more private than just a doorway," she said.

"True." Chikage sat down across from Jack, sipping her coffee as Jack ate. "I'll bet he tries to con me into hanging whatever he got, though."

"I'll help," Jack offered. Chi smiled.

"If you'd like to." A small nod, and more toast crunching.

"Do you really think it was smart for him to go into town?" Jack asked suddenly, talking around the bite she'd just taken. Chi glanced at her.

"I'm sure he can handle it," she said quietly. "I hadn't even thought about it, though."

"Does he still have a bounty?" Chi nodded absently, staring into the steam rising from her mug. She knew the next question before Jack even posed it. "Do you have a bounty?" Another small nod. "What'd you do?" Chikage took a sip from her cup and set it down gently, rubbing the handle.

"When my tour was up with the black ops, a friend and I started doing security jobs. Eventually we started working for a guy Company wanted really bad, and they found out. Some of Company's guys got too close and died in the process, and it was all downhill from there."

"Riddick?"

"No, his name was Dave."

"You make it sound like he's dead too," Jack said quietly.

"He is," Chikage said with a nod. "He turned on us, and one of the other guys he turned ended up killing the guy we were working security for, and his daughter." Jack clicked her tongue.

"How old was she?"

"Six."

"What was her name?" Chikage glanced up at Jack with a sad smile.

"Her name was Amy." Jack nodded, returning to her toast. Chi took a breath and paused, watching Jack's eyes slowly rise to hers. "You know you can talk to us, right? Either of us." Jack nodded, lowering her eyes back to her plate. "Whenever you feel like you need to or want to."

"I know," she answered quietly.

"He'll kill me if he knows I told you this," Chi said, her eyes twinkling deviously. Jack smiled up at her slightly. "He's worried about you." Jack's eyebrow rose, and Chi's face turned serious. "Both of us know what happened there, Jack." Jack blinked, but didn't look away. "You're a strong girl, darlin'," she continued. "And we're both here for you when you need us." Jack's lip quivered a little, but she nodded, adding a small smile.

---

"Do I know you?" Riddick glanced up, pushing his sunglasses further up his nose as the clerk looked him over.

"I don't think so," he answered, turning back to the slabs of aluminum.

"You sure look familiar," the man pressed, emerging from behind the counter.

"I've just got one of those faces," Riddick said with a smirk. The man shrugged, and Riddick walked away, carrying two slabs under his arm easily as he headed toward the aisle with the hinges. Ten minutes later, he was back on the street, glancing over his shoulder at the door of the hardware store. Every time he turned down another road, he'd glance back to make sure no one was following. The ship came into sight, and he started jogging. He glanced around as his thumbprint processed through the ship's security system, and the ramp started to lower. He secured the future doors in the cargo hold and climbed the ladder up to the main level, smiling as Chikage and Jack looked up at him as he entered the kitchen. "Ready to blow this popsicle stand?" he asked. Chikage and Jack glanced at each other, staring for a moment before both of them burst into hysterical laughter. His eyebrows rose, and his eyes lingered on them until he nearly tripped on the first step up to the cockpit, and their giggles continued as they followed, an intermittent chuckle breaking through the silence as he readied the ship for takeoff. "Wanna let me in on the joke?" he finally asked.

"Blow this popsicle stand?" Jack finally roared, launching into another fit of cackles. Chikage snickered, fighting to stay in control.

"You have to admit it was out of character for you, Riddick," she said, barely getting the words out before chuckling. He shrugged.

"Can't I do that now and then?" he gruffed, taxiing the ship out onto the runway. By the time he set the autopilot, Chikage and Jack had straightened up, though both were still grinning. They didn't look at each other as they unbuckled their harnesses for fear of losing it again, and Jack headed up to the library. "I'm gonna weld the hinges onto the doors," Riddick said, pointing over his shoulder toward the cargo hold. Chi nodded, but he waited, and she raised her eyebrows. "Wanna help?" She gave him a little shrug and followed, but he blocked the path. Her brows furled, and she stared up at him, her eyes widening as he spun her around, her back slamming against the wall as his lips mashed against hers. She let out a small moan, moving to wrap her arms around his shoulders, but he pulled away and started down the ladder.

"What the hell was that for?" she gasped, her chest heaving.

"I wanted it," he said with a wide grin and a tiny shrug, sliding down the rest of the way to the cargo hold. She grinned, following him down. Jack appeared a short time later, and Chikage sat back, watching as Riddick showed her how to weld the hinges on securely. She looked like she'd used tools like this before, and Chikage was fascinated just watching them interact. Evidently the talk they'd had helped at least a little. Riddick glanced up every now and then, grinning devilishly at Chi over Jack's head, but Chi only shook her head, averting his eyes as she smirked. Soon, they moved the work up to the main level, Riddick holding the door up, and Chikage supervising as Jack welded the hinges into place. After a quick test, they repeated the process on the other room. Immediately, Jack ran up to the library, bounding down the stairs and into her room, beaming as she wiggled her fingers at Chikage and Riddick before shutting the door and flopping on her bed to read in her own room, with a door to close. Riddick turned to Chi, and she stared up at him for a moment, her head tilted to the side as he closed the distance between them, kicking their door shut as he wound his arms around her waist to expel the air between them.

"It's not sound proof, you know," she whispered, letting her head fall back as he lifted her off the ground, his lips attacking her neck.

"So be quiet," he said, his words mangled as he continued torturing her skin. She chuckled, a sound deep in her throat, and he growled in response, dumping her on the bed. She scrambled toward the pillows, watching him crawl up the foot of the bed toward her on all fours, an image of a panther stalking its prey flitting through her mind. Her skin tingled as he hovered over her, just inches away and she arched up toward him, twining her legs around his hips as their lips finally met again. She broke her lips from his to pull her shirt over her head, and he did the same, instantly going to work on the clasp of her bra while she worked on his pants. They wriggled out of their clothing, and he sunk into her, both stifling groans. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her forehead pressing against the side of his neck as she struggled to choke back the moans forming in her throat. His teeth closed on her earlobe, and she whimpered, both their breaths hurried and frantic. She turned her head, biting his arm lightly as her back arched. He let a grunt slip, and her eyes squeezed shut, their lips meeting to quiet each other's now uncontrollable moans. His palm settled on her cheek as he stilled, feeling her tremble under him. Slowly, he pulled away, staring down at her as she nuzzled his hand, a gratified smile growing on her lips.

"You okay?" A small nod.

"I needed that," she whispered. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and he leaned down to kiss her once more before flopping on his side next to her. He draped an arm over her middle, winding his legs around hers as she slid her arm under his head, pulling him to her chest. One of her hands traced patterns in the sheen of sweat on his back, while the other mirrored the designs on his face. He let out another quiet moan as his eyes closed, and she smiled, placing a kiss on the end of his nose as she let sleep take over.


	23. Chapter 23

Lifeline

Chapter 23

"I found her." Chikage jumped, nearly dropping her coffee mug into the sink. She whirled around, eyes wide, and Riddick was sitting on the kitchen table, gripping the two chairs on either side of him, his head hanging slightly.

"You found her." A small nod, and he lifted his eyes to her, taking his bottom lip between his teeth.

"Where?"

"A clinic on Ergon." Chikage's eyebrow rose.

"We were on Ergon not too long ago," she said slowly. He nodded.

"She's on the other side though," he said with a shrug. "No way we would have run into each other then."

"What are you guys talking about?" Jack asked slowly, having overheard the conversation through her open door. Riddick glanced at her, and back at Chikage, who nodded slowly, her eyebrow arched.

"It's a really long story, Jack," he said quietly. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, it's not like I have somewhere to be in five minutes," the teen retorted. He glanced back at Chikage, who gave him no signals, and nodded, pulling out a chair to straddle it.

"Way back when," he started, "I was a walking experiment." Jack swallowed, slowly walking to the bench and sitting quietly. Chikage leaned back against the kitchen counter, sipping what she hadn't spilled of her coffee. "Company used their operatives to test some of the new technologies they'd developed," he continued, closing his eyes. "I still don't know what exactly they did to me, but I've got a pretty good idea."

"So this 'she' you guys are talking about knows," Jack guessed. Riddick nodded.

"She's the nurse," Riddick answered. "Marie."

"And you found her now and want to go talk to her to find out what happened to you." A small nod. "What's the plan?"

"I don't know yet," he said, looking up at Chi. "I'll need to watch her first for a while. Find out the best way to go about this." Jack nodded, ruffling her hair. "I've already set the course for Ergon," he added quietly.

"What's the ETA?" Chi asked.

"Couple days. Maybe three. I'll have to find a place to land," he noted with a cringe.

"Riddick, just let me create some fake certificates," Chikage whined, slouching against the counter. "That way we can land at a public strip and not worry about someone accidentally coming across an illegal docking." He sighed. "C'mon." A small nod.

"Can I help?" Jack asked, the enthusiasm returning to her voice.

"It's a one person job," Chi said," but you can definitely keep me company while I'm working on it." Jack stood, glancing at Riddick. "Maybe even learn a few things while you're at it." She grinned up at the older woman, nodding vigorously.

"You're such a bad influence, Chi," Riddick groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Like you've got room to talk," she replied lightly, passing him a quick wink. He shook his head, but she caught the smile he was trying to hide.

---

Riddick heard a body flop onto the couch out in the library, a quiet thud as the couch smacked lightly against the wall. He glanced up, concentration broken, and adjusted the vertebrae in his neck, popping off a couple more jabs before unwrapping his wrists and going to the door, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of a hand.

"How'd it go?" he asked. Jack's green eyes appeared over the edge of her book, and she shrugged.

"Good, I guess. She swore at it a lot, but I think she got it straightened out." His eyebrow rose, and she gave him a small smile. She watched over the spine of the book as he lowered himself onto the other couch with a small groan. "Gettin' old?"

"Never," he returned with a wide grin. She nodded, her smirk remaining as she returned to her reading. "Maybe while we're on Ergon we'll stop and get you some more books," he mused, rubbing the stubble getting longer on his head. "Something more up your alley."

"You've got plenty up my alley," she said quietly, glancing up at him as she turned the page.

"You'll end up reading them all with as much time as you spend up here," he said with a smile.

"You got a problem with that?"

"Not at all." He watched her for a while. "But I do think we need to get you onto some kind of schooling regimen though." Her eyes met his, expression flat, and she stared at him for a moment before giving him a hmmph and picking up her reading again. "Maybe Chikage can pick out some stuff and start teaching you," he suggested.

"She's not exactly the teacher type."

"Neither am I," he said, "but you're not talking your way out of it." A heavy sigh.

"You never went to school."

"And look where I ended up," he snapped. She glanced up at him, quickly returning to the book. "You need some kind of an education, Jack." She nodded slightly, and he mirrored it. "Chi and I can both teach you, I guess," he said with a shrug. "She can handle the books and I'll handle the rest."

"The rest."

"Ship maintenance, piloting, self-defense," he listed. She looked up, eyes twinkling as a small smile touched her lips.

"Yeah?"

"As long as you hit the books, yeah." She made a show of considering it, finally nodding. Riddick smiled, standing and stretching.

"Will you teach me how to use a knife?" He chuckled.

"We'll see."

---

"RIDDICK!" In an instant, Chikage's back was cold, and she fought with the covers he'd thrown over her head as he leapt from the bed, wrenching the door open. When she found the end of the sheets, she sat up, staring wildly around the room. Seeing Jack's door open, she stood, crossing the hall quickly as she called up the lights. Riddick grunted, squinting, but didn't call them back down. Jack was curled in a ball as she trembled, eyes wide open and staring blankly. Riddick held up a hand as Chikage took a step into the room, waving her back into the hallway. She watched as Riddick whispered to the terrified girl, leaning over her as he stroked her hair gently. After a moment, he pulled her into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. Chikage continued to watch, until Riddick glanced up at her, nodding his head slightly and glancing back at their bed. Her brows furled, but she turned, glancing over her shoulder once more as she straightened the sheets, then called out the lights and crawled back into bed.

She drifted in and out, waking slightly each time Riddick's voice filtered into the room. His tone was low enough she couldn't understand what he was saying, but soothing enough to lull her back to sleep until he'd pause and start talking again. A quick glance at the clock as the bed shook with his return said he'd been sitting with her for over an hour.

"She okay?" Chi asked quietly.

"Just a nightmare," Riddick mumbled, curling up at her back.

"Musta been some nightmare."

"Usually are." She took a breath to continue the conversation, but his hand clamped over her mouth, and he shook his head against her shoulder blade. "We're landing in about five hours," he said. "Get some sleep." She smiled, pressing backwards against him as she twined her fingers from him, prying his hand from her face. She kissed his palm and tucked his hand under her pillow with hers, their fingers still tangled together.

---

Riddick glanced over at Chikage as she reached for the comm unit. She waited for his nod before radioing the watchtower.

"Tower, this is the Black Angel." Riddick rolled his eyes. Jack had insisted on picking the name, and refused to tell him what she'd had Chikage program in. "Request permission to land."

"Stand by, Black Angel," the radio crackled back. "Verifying certificates." Chikage rested her head against the back of the seat, her thumbnail following the grooves of the speaker in the handset. "Certificates authenticated. Permission granted." Riddick let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd held and engaged the thrusters. "Proceed to runway 12 and await docking assignment."

"Copy that." No one said a word as Riddick landed the ship without a hitch, neither Chikage nor Jack feeling the landing gear contact the pavement. He taxied to the holding area and waited. A few moments later, the radio crackled again, directing them to their docking location. Riddick powered down the ship.

"I'm gonna go fuel up," he announced, reaching for a jacket. "You all just stay here and I'll be right back." Chikage nodded, unbuckling her harness. The door clicked shut, and she stood, stretching with a boisterous growl.

"Riddick said you would teach me," Jack said quietly.

"Teach you what?"

"He wants me to get some kind of an education." Chikage blinked.

"Well, I think that's wise. Did he say what he wanted me to teach you?" Jack shook her head. "What'd he say?"

"Just that you'd teach me and he'd train me." Now Chikage understood. He thought she'd be the better choice to handle Jack's schooling, and he'd teach her what he felt she'd need to be self-sufficient.

"I think that can be arranged," she said with a nod. "We can go into town a little later and get some stuff if you want to." Jack shrugged. She glanced up as Riddick appeared in the doorway again, giving him a small smile. "All set?"

"Yeah. They're gassing her up now," he said. "I think I'm gonna start tracking Marie down."

"Want some company?"

"No, you take Jack into town and get her some books and stuff." Jack glanced up at him quickly. "Take your mobile with you." Chikage nodded, turning to Jack.

"Let me get my jacket," she mumbled, thudding down the stairs.

"She's not too happy about this school thing."

"Tough shit," Riddick said with a shrug. "She needs it." Chikage shrugged. "I mean it, Chi."

"I know you do," she said slowly. "But I do think she might learn more if she teaches herself."

"She wouldn't cover all the bases if she did it herself."

"I'm just saying that with a little guidance, she'd learn more if she took the initiative, that's all, Riddick. Forcing her to study certain things won't really get her motivated to actually learn the stuff."

"So motivate her to take the initiative," he said simply. Chikage gave him a dumb smile, and he grinned. "I'll be back before dawn," he promised, leaning over to kiss her cheek before leaving again. A few moments later, Chikage went down the stairs, watching Jack drag her jacket behind her as she followed Chikage to the ladder leading to the cargo hold.

"Think of it this way," Chikage said with a devious smirk. "The faster you start, the faster you'll be done, and the sooner you're done, the sooner he'll be off your back about it." Jack managed a small chuckle. "He'll be impressed." A genuine smile this time.


	24. Chapter 24

Lifeline

Chapter 24

Riddick glanced around nonchalantly as he walked by the clinic. The parking lot was full, as it probably always was, judging from the neighborhood. It made sense, really, Marie working in one of the worst parts of one of the largest towns on this planet. She'd have the knowledge of how to treat just about any kind of battle injury, just from working in the med bay where he'd met her. He continued around the block, slipping into an alley that dumped him out just outside the parking lot. He'd wait here for a while.

Every female that walked by was closely scrutinized. He'd never seen her, but he'd know her when he finally did. At least, he hoped so. The sky grew lighter, and he was growing impatient. He was well aware Chikage would be waiting up for him, though Jack would be fast asleep, and he refused to leave until he spotted Marie. He reached for the mobile he'd shoved in his back pocket and stopped, his eyes narrowing as a short woman slipped out the clinic's side door. He watched her as she fished through her pocket for her keys, watching the wind blow dark curls in her face. He'd expected her to be larger than she was – evidently she'd lost weight since then. Now, she was rather slim, her skin pale but smooth, save the shallow crow's feet around her eyes and smile lines around her lips. Her scrubs moved just the way he'd envisioned, just listening to her walk through the operation center around him, and over all, he wasn't too surprised. As she unlocked her door, she paused, glancing around the lot as though she knew she was being watched. Her eyes focused on the alley he'd hidden himself in, and she shook her head, her lips moving as she talked to herself, climbing into the car. She sat there for a while, head resting on the steering wheel, and he couldn't help but smile. _Rough day at work, huh Marie? Bet it's nothing like old times_, he thought. A moment later, he memorized her vehicle ID tag as she drove away, backing deeper into the alley before turning and heading back to the port.

---

Riddick sighed, rubbing his forehead as he headed into the kitchen, feeling her eyes on him as he opened the fridge.

"Any luck?"

"Yeah," he said quietly, twisting the cap off a bottle of water. "I'm gonna talk to her tomorrow." Her eyebrow rose.

"That soon?" she asked, watching his throat contract as he swallowed half the bottle down.

"I don't want her to start getting the feeling she's being watched," he said with a shrug. She cocked her head to the side.

"How's it going to happen?"

"You two are going to stay here. Don't leave tomorrow at all." Chikage nodded slowly, eyeing him. "It was still pretty dark when she left, so I'll just break into her car and wait until she starts driving."

"So she can go straight to the security station?"

"She won't." He sounded too confident for her to even seriously consider arguing, so she just nodded again. "Can you set up my mobile to record everything."

"Yeah. No problem." She paused, thinking for a moment. "You want me to send a surveillance camera with you?"

"You have some?"

"I can modify one of the darts," she said with a shrug.

"How long will that take?"

"Couple hours, maybe." He pondered, finally nodding. "Yeah, I can record all of it that way. Just put it in the ceiling corner on the passenger's side."

"Any reason?" he asked with a bemused smile.

"You'll get her face that way. The whole car, actually," Chikage explained. "That way you can run the tape back and try to figure out if she's lying based on her expressions."

"I can do that without a camera, Chi."

"If we have to go to the IGC with it, though, it'll be more convincing if there's something a behaviorist can verify." She gave him a one-shouldered shrug.

"Yeah, I guess." He took another smaller sip of water. "I don't plan on going to the IGC with this though."

"Never know," Chi said quietly. "Might come in handy one day." He nodded thoughtfully. "You look tired."

"I am."

"Go to sleep," she suggested. He nodded, starting toward the bedroom. He turned just outside the bedroom door and turned back to her.

"Coming?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I'm gonna start working on that camera tomorrow." He shrugged. "If you're making me stay here all day tomorrow, I want to sleep in." A wide grin, and he disappeared. She sighed, draining the last of her tea and stood to retrieve a surveillance dart and collection of tools from her backpack in the cockpit.

---

Marie Bournet stifled a yawn, wiggling her fingers at the desk attendant as she drew her keys from her pocket. She hummed a tune to herself quietly as she walked out to the car, the exhaustion from a harder than usual day's work bearing down on her. All she wanted right now was a bath and a long, uninterrupted nap. She collapsed into the driver's seat, groaning as she leaned to pull the door shut, and heaved a sigh, swearing at the steering wheel. Another yawn appeared as she jammed the key in the ignition, twisting to start the engine, and shifted gears to drive away. Her eyes were so tired and focused on the road in front of her she didn't notice the figure righting itself in the rear view mirror.

"Rough day?" Marie's eyes widened as she gasped, the car nearly swerving off the road. She squealed as the tire jumped the curb, the whole vehicle shaking as she got it back on the pavement with a loud colorful word. A deep chuckle vibrated through her seat.

"What the fuck?!" she finally managed. Her foot started to move toward the brake, but his voice stopped her.

"Don't stop. Just keep driving until I tell you otherwise." She nodded, gulping down the lump in her throat. "You get the cops and I'll kill you slowly," he warned. Another jerky nod, and he sat back in the seat, the hood pulled over his head still hiding his face.

"What do you want?" she stammered.

"I just want to talk to you, Marie," he said quietly.

"Marie?" The man looked up sharply, and the fear multiplied, filling her stomach with butterflies on speed. "No one's called me that for years, I…" she trailed off, shaking her head as she forced herself to slow her words down and swallow. "Who are you?" He gave her no response. "How did you find me?"

"Well, you made the mistake of finding work as soon as Company got rid of you." Her eyes grew wider, if it was possible, and she was spending more time staring up at the rear view mirror than at the road. "You changed your name, but there weren't many transfers that flawless, especially with your level of expertise, nurse." She blinked a few times. "Watch the road." She nodded, turning her attention back to driving.

"Where are we going?" she asked quietly.

"Nowhere. Just drive." A small nod. "Tell me about the Evanis program." She sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked weakly.

"I need answers Marie." His voice held a warning tone that didn't settle well with her, and she swallowed thickly again. "Start talking. I'm not the kind of guy you want to piss off." She nodded, glancing up at the shadow in the mirror quickly.

"The Evanis program was terminated a year before I transferred." She paused, looking up at him again.

"Go on."

"Company wanted to engineer the perfect soldier. That's what we tried to do, but the project failed."

"Failed how?"

"First, we couldn't get the subjects to survive the treatment," she said, her eyes glazing over, voice becoming detached. "In the second phase, we couldn't get them to survive past the treatment. They'd die a few days after the transfusion was complete, and we couldn't study the results." She paused, shivering. "The IGC got wind and didn't approve, and we were prepared to terminate the project, but Company moved us to an old base on Kygon 12, where the main medical facility used to be. We figured the IGC had been convinced the project was sensible. None of us had the slightest idea we were working illegitimately."

"The project, Marie," he pressed.

"I told you, it was meant to create the perfect soldier."

"How?" She sighed, glancing up at him once more.

"Blood was extracted and infused with a vector containing amino acids and protease. It reconstructed the genetic code to modify the subject, making him stronger, faster, more intelligent, and more trainable."

"What about sensory improvements?"

"That was a side effect," she said, shaking her head slightly. "It wasn't intentional, but it was an interesting addition to the modifications."

"Continue."

"That's it," she said slowly. "That's all the project was meant to do."

"Tell me about the ERPC's." Another surprised glance.

"Like I said, the entire first phase expired," she said slowly, turning down a narrow street. "There were three phases all together." A quiet sigh. "I know of only one candidate who made it through the third, but I don't know his status at this point."

"Who?"

"What's it matter."

"God damn, it Marie."

"His name was Richard," she said quickly. "That's all I know."

"You didn't get a last name."

"No."

"Bullshit!" he bellowed, making her jump.

"I swear, that's all I know. Dr. Stevens was the one who knew their identities. I knew first names and serial numbers, that's all." He leaned back in the seat, considering that.

"The paperwork at the lab had full names," he said quietly.

"You went there?"

"You had access to the files, Marie. Why didn't you ever look?"

"I didn't want to know," she spluttered, her hands visibly shaking. She felt his eyes on her, and licked her lips nervously. "If they had full names, they were too human for me to continue. I couldn't know and continue the project."

"Stop the car." She pulled to the curb and slowed, the brakes squealing slightly as she stopped. "Assuming this Richard is still alive, do you have any reason to believe he would have any medical problems, and I mean _anything_?"

"I don't know. The project was terminated before the follow-ups got to the long-term impact stages." He nodded slowly. "Who are you?"

"You disappoint me," he said with a low chuckle. "After all these years, Marie." She shook her head, still not understanding. "How long were those needles?"

"Which?"

"The ones in the arms. For the transfusion."

"Seven inches," she whispered.

"I figured as much." Her eyes narrowed. "Always knew you were different from the rest of them Marie," he said quietly.

"Richard?" Utter disbelief. She turned quickly, clinging to the top edge of the front bench seat. "God, Richard?" As he pulled the hood back, her lip trembled, her large blue eyes focusing on liquid silver. Her eyes closed, and she lowered her head to rest on the back of the seat, shaking her head. "A part of me wished you were dead," she mumbled. "I hoped you'd never have to learn any of this."

"Tad bit of guilt, huh?" Her head rose, and her brow furled before her face crumpled, the tears almost breaking before she took a deep breath and calmed down.

"You need to come in to the clinic tomorrow," she said quickly. "I want to run some tests and find out—"

"No," he interjected, shaking his head with a menacing glare. "No more tests, no more experiments, nothing."

"You need to know what kind of effect this has had on you, Richard. Something could have happened and you would have no idea until it was too late, if it could be stopped at all."

"What are you saying?" he asked suspiciously.

"I'm saying we never found out the long-term impact on the body, Richard," she snapped. "Please…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "Let me make this right by making sure you're okay."

"I feel fine," he stated.

"That doesn't mean anything and you know it as well as I do." He sighed. "Be at the clinic at 3500 tomorrow. We shouldn't be busy then. I can get someone to cover for my regular duties." He glared at her for a moment. "Please, Richard." She was begging. He hadn't expected her to beg to help him find out what he desperately felt like he needed to know.

"There's a girl," he started, suddenly having to swallow. "Company kidnapped her and there's no telling what they did to her while she was there." Marie's brow crinkled. "I want her checked out too." A slow nod.

"There's several people there I can trust."

"No," Riddick said firmly. "You. Only you." She agreed, then reached toward him. His eyes followed her hand, closing for a moment as her fingers slid over his cheek. His fingers found the door latch, and he was gone, leaving her staring after him as he walked away briskly.


	25. Chapter 25

Lifeline

Chapter 25

Chikage sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes and glancing out the front window once more before throwing open a locker and rummaging through her backpack, flouncing down the stairs and into the cargo hold. She glanced at her watch as the hatch lowered, shaking her head slightly as she descended, plopping onto the metal ramp. After lighting a cigarette and letting the first draw out in a slow, calming stream, she drew her knees to her chest and rested her elbows on them, staring out at the port. She was about to flick the second cigarette onto the pavement when a movement caught her eye, and she froze, just watching. Not more than a second later, Riddick emerged from the shadows, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he moseyed toward the ship. She stood slowly, watching the sparks fly as the cigarette hit the ground. He didn't say a thing as he started up the ramp toward her, only stopped before her, staring down at her with an unreadable expression before slowly reaching out and wrapping his arms around her tightly. She returned the embrace, one hand pressing to his lower back and the other cradling the back of his head. He pulled away, placing a light kiss on her forehead, and she followed him up the ramp, pausing with him as he reached out to turn the lever to close the hatch, then followed as he went up to their room.

They both changed into their sleeping clothes silently, crawling under the sheets together and returning to the gentle embrace. Her eyes closed as he stroked her hair, her thumb absentmindedly tracing the lines of his stomach. He was buzzing with tension, but she didn't want to ask. She only wanted to know he trusted enough to confide in her, tell her without her having to press for information. She shifted as he raised his arm, trying to cover his movement's startling her, but he only rubbed his eyes, a soft, suppressed sigh breaking the silence.

"We're going to the clinic later tonight," he said quietly. She glanced up at him in surprise. "All three of us." She nodded slowly, still denying the urge to ask for more. "I was right," he added, looking down at her for a moment.

"I figured you were."

"I'm the only surviving ERPC, Chi," he said, shaking his head slightly as he stared up at the ceiling, his fingers moving from her hair to trace lines lightly up and down her arm. "The only one that made it." Her brow furled, and she tightened her arm around him in a makeshift hug. "She wants to run some tests and see if anything's going on."

"Why are all of us going?" she asked quietly.

"I want to get Jack checked out while we're here. She'll know what to look for," he said, referring to the decision to only let Marie examine Jack.

"And you trust her?"

"She begged, Chikage," he said, his voice tight in his throat. "She said she wanted to make it right by finding out if anything happened." He paused, licking his lips. "And I believe her." She nodded. "Were you watching?"

"No," she answered. He glanced down at her as though she'd stunned him. "I started recording when you left, but I wasn't watching."

"Why?"

"It was your deal, Riddick, not mine," she said quietly. "I figured if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me. I didn't want to pry." He nodded and fell quiet. "Riddick, I don't know if Jack is ready to go right now."

"What do you mean?" Chikage sighed.

"She hasn't mentioned anything about that base since we left. I don't know if she's still trying to cope with it in her own way or if it didn't affect her to begin with, but if she's not ready to face what happened, making her go to a clinic isn't going to help at all."

"I'll talk to her tomorrow."

"Did she say what time she wanted you there?"

"3500," he answered.

"Damn this 36 hour day," she groaned, burying her face in his chest. He chuckled a little, seemingly forced, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"Get some sleep."

---

"Jack, can I talk to you for a minute?" Jack glanced up from her book, raising her eyebrow at Riddick, who had opened her door noiselessly and now leaned against the frame, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What'd I do this time?" He smiled, but she wasn't comforted by it. Her eyes followed him as he moved to sit on the corner of her bed, angled away from her.

"Nothing." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his head. "I talked to Marie this morning."

"The nurse." He nodded, glancing at her quickly before turning back to the wall.

"The three of us are going to see her tonight." Jack's face darkened, her brow furling. "She wants to run some tests on me to find out what happened."

"Why's Chi going?"

"Support," he said quietly. Jack swallowed, her mouth going dry.

"For who?" Riddick looked at her, and her face crumpled, her head barely moving side to side.

"Jack, I want you to listen to me."

"I can't Riddick. I don't want to," she whispered, pulling her knees to her chest and rocking slightly. "I can't."

"Jack, you need to," he said quietly, turning to face her. "We need to make sure you're okay." A slow stream of tears made its way down her cheek, and soon another trail followed down the other side, her lip trembling. "Hey," he said, reaching out to grasp her shoulders gently, "C'mere." He pulled her into his lap, cradling her head just under his chin as he swayed slowly from side to side. "It's gonna be okay, kid. She's not going to hurt you, and Chi's gonna be there to make sure of that." She sniffled, a wet snort, and shook her head. "Look, I know you're scared. Anyone would be." He paused, squeezing his eyes shut. "I am too, Jack, but both of us need to find out if anything's wrong." She pulled away slightly, staring wide-eyed up into his face, her eyes red and puffy, cheeks tearstained and blotchy. "I promise I won't be far away, okay?" She nodded slowly, removing one of her hands from his shoulder to wipe her face. His eyes held hers for a moment, and they stared at each other. "Nothing's ever gonna happen to you again, kid," he said, his voice low and tight. "Promise." A tiny smile graced her lips, and he kissed her forehead, pulling her into another tight hug.

"I love you, Riddick," she whispered. He froze, the gentle rocking back and forth stopping as he pulled away to look at her. Her brows quivered as she waited for him to say something, but he only stared. She lowered her eyes from his, shaking her head with a small smile. "I think I finally made you speechless," she said with a light laugh. She glanced at him again, the intense and somewhat confused expression remaining. "You're the only family I've got," she explained. "And maybe it's crazy, but I always wanted a big brother and it seems like I have one now." A smile started breaking through the fog, finally ending up in a chuckle as he pulled her back to him. She sighed, tightening her arms around on him. "I guess I'll go," she relented. "Will you stay in the room with me?"

"I don't know if I'll be able to, Jack," he answered. Another weighty sigh. "But I'll be as close as I can be, okay?" A small nod. "And Chikage's not gonna leave your side while you're there." Another nod. "Be strong for me, okay?"

---

Chikage smiled weakly at Riddick as he emerged from Jack's room, rubbing a hand over his face before reaching for the coffee pot. She took a sip from her mug of tea as he sat down across from her, leaning heavily on the table.

"How'd it go?" she asked quietly. He sighed.

"She's gonna go, not like she really had much choice," he said with a shrug, "but she's not exactly excited about it."

"Can't say I blame her," she replied absently. "Not an easy place to go after something like that." He nodded, staring into the steam rising from his cup. "I'll talk to her before we leave," she continued. "Let her know it's not as bad as it always sounds in the books and stuff." His eyebrow rose, but she shook her head. "It might make her more comfortable if the explanation comes from me."

"The explanation? I already told her why she has to go," he said.

"I know, but she probably doesn't really know what happens." He stared at her blankly, not following. "I think she might feel better going into it knowing what they're going to do."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything, Riddick," she said.

"I think you are."

"That's what you get for thinking," she snapped, standing to refill her cup. His eyes followed her, making him turn in his chair to stare at her back while she dipped the tea bag in a fresh cup of steaming water.

---

The three of them walked together, Jack between Riddick and Chikage, and Jack took Chi's hand as the clinic came into view. Chikage gave her fingers a gentle, reassuring squeeze as Riddick opened the door, following them in. Marie was waiting for them at the desk, immediately buzzing them through the door leading into the area holding the examination rooms. She eyed Chikage, but said nothing as she led them to their rooms, a door connecting the two.

"I'll be right back," she said. "Just get those gowns on and relax for a few minutes." Riddick nodded, using a hand to steer Jack toward the cloth-covered table. He knelt down in front of her.

"I'm just gonna be in the next room, okay kid?" She gave him a confident nod, but he didn't miss the scent of fear on her. "You want Marie to take care of you first so you can come in with me?" Another small nod, and he mirrored it. He stood, now gazing at Chikage standing behind Jack, her hands on Jack's shoulders. He gave her a small smile, cocking her head to the side. He just stared at her for a moment before swallowing, glancing down at Jack, and disappearing through the door to his room.

"You okay?" Chi asked gently. Jack shrugged, reaching for the gown Marie had lain out on the exam table. They heard Riddick's voice, then Marie's echoing off the wall, and Jack sent Chikage a nervous glance. Chi pulled a chair up next to Jack and took her hand in hers, rubbing the back of her hand lightly. "You'll be fine," she whispered, giving her a reassuring nod, before both looked up at the door as it opened.

"You must be Jack," a woman in her early fifties said, smiling brightly as she stuck out a hand. Jack only glanced at it, and Marie pulled up a stool. "Can you tell me about what happened to you?"

"What do you think happens to fifteen year old girls that are kidnapped by Company guards and taken to an abandoned base so they can lure a convict?" Jack said coldly, not hiding her contempt for the woman formerly employed by the same entity as the guards who had violated her. Marie's motherly smile fell, and she nodded.

"Did they do anything else to you?" Jack shook her head. "Nothing medical or anything?" Another shake of the head. "Did they hit you?" Jack glanced at her quickly before refocusing on the pattern printed on the hospital gown. "Does anything they hit still hurt at all?"

"Not really," Jack answered quietly. "I have a few bruises still, but they're going away."

"Okay," Marie said, writing something down on a piece of paper clipped to a folder.

"You're keeping records?" Chikage asked suddenly. Marie glanced up at her.

"Only while you're here," she answered, staring boldly into yellow eyes. "As soon as you're discharged, the three of you will see me shred anything with any information pertaining to your visits." Chikage's brow arched, but she nodded. "Okay, Jack. I know you're not comfortable with this, and that's okay. I wouldn't be either." Chi gave Jack's hand a quick squeeze. "Let's get this started so it can be over, okay?" Jack's face went pale as she slid down to the edge of the hospital bed, squeezing her eyes shut as her hand tightened around Chikage's.

---

Riddick glanced up as the door opened, rubbing the back of his hand where Marie had inserted an IV, the cold liquid making his wrist ache. Chikage's hands steered a red-faced, trembling Jack into the room, and Riddick's brow furrowed. Jack immediately crawled onto Riddick's hospital bed, burying her face in his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. Chikage gave him a weak smile, then nodded, and relief washed over his face as he rubbed the girl's back slowly.

"What's with the IV?" Chikage asked, nodding toward the instrument. He glanced down at it quickly, working his wrist to alleviate the dull ache.

"Seems like I'm gonna be here longer than I thought," he said with a shrug. "Some of the tests take a few days, and others can't be done after those are done." She sighed, pulling up a chair and flopping into it. "Not to mention the possibility something's wrong and she has to do more than she's thinking right now." Chikage shook her head, rubbing her eyes. Two knocks at the door drew their attention, and Marie emerged, a fresh chart stacked on top of the one she'd completed on Jack. She forced a small smile and opened a drawer, extracting several swabs, syringes, and other items.

"Tell me what you remember," she said, pulling up a stool.

"How far back you want me to go?" Riddick asked, eyeing the former nurse, now doctor, as she laid out the instruments on a table and wheeled it over to him.

"The first thing relating to the program, if you don't mind," she said, rubbing an alcohol pad on the inner bend of his elbow. She didn't mention having to work around the traumatized teen curled up at his side, still trembling, but she did reach out to run a hand over Jack's hair with a saddened smile.

"I was in the field on a strike mission," Riddick began, watching with fascination as Marie drew several vials of blood from his arm. "Team leader said he'd gotten new orders for me."

"Do you remember who?"

"If I did, I wouldn't tell you," Riddick said simply. "No names here, doc." She nodded, lining the vials up on a nearby counter and wheeling herself back to his side. "I went to Kygon 12, met up with a Captain who was waiting for me, and he said I was due for a physical." Marie nodded, writing furiously as he spoke. "Timing was about right, so I didn't care. Went into the exam room, got wired up, and woke up later in the lab. Well," he said with a wry smile, "I was awake, but I couldn't move. Couldn't open my eyes." Marie glanced up at him. "The voices were really muffled at first, and I felt like my whole body was on fire. I know I was strapped down, and they'd gagged me or something. Horse bit." Chikage cringed. First the experiment, then transports to prison. No wonder he hated the damn things so much. She would have too, had it been her. "At first it was just small pricks. Like they were taking my blood. I knew I had an IV in, but there wasn't anything major at first." He sighed, hugging Jack tighter to his chest. "You know about the transfusion. I remember all of that."

"Tell me," Marie said gently. He sent her a glare, but took a breath and paused, closing his eyes to think.

"The right arm was first. I didn't think it'd ever end," he said, his voice suddenly quiet, the expression on his face pained and anxious. "Damn needle just kept going, felt like it was almost up to my shoulder before it finally stopped. I heard clicks, and then it just hurt. The needle was moving around all over the place. Same thing with the other arm." He swallowed, a light sheen of sweat beading on his forehead. "Some kind of machine was beeping and whirring. I don't know how long I was there. You kept talking to me through the whole thing. Touching me, telling me I was doing great." He shook his head. "You said it had been a week before you told me you were bringing me something to eat. I remember you had to do it for me, mostly. Soup or something, I don't know." He sighed. "And then one day I just woke up in a recovery room and I was fine again. I didn't really remember then what happened," he said, opening his eyes. "Didn't until I went back to get Jack out." Marie was staring at him now, regret blatantly plastered on her features, and she sighed.

"You were in the lab for three weeks all together, Richard," she said quietly. Chikage glanced at Riddick at the mention of his first name, but he wasn't looking at her. Instead, he was staring down at Jack, who had been lulled to sleep by the rumbling voice deep in his chest. His fingers threaded through her short hair over and over, and Chikage found herself smiling slightly. "I told you what the project entailed when you broke into my car this morning, so I won't go over it again." She sighed, stretching to set the chart on the counter before folding her hands in her lap and leaning forward. "Here's what I'm going to do. I'll run a complete genetic profile, test for any known mutations or genetic affectations." She took a breath. "If it's alright with you, I'd also like to run some unknowns against your profile, see if there's any common complaints between your genes and others that haven't been identified as of yet." His eyebrow rose. "I just want to find out if there's any possibility for anything that's not been concretely identified in other research studies, Richard. No identities." He nodded after a moment. "I also want to do some full body scans and several head scans. Perception and sensory tests."

"Basically a full spectrum," Chikage interjected, watching the woman glance over at her quickly.

"Yes." Marie held Chi's eyes for a moment before turning back to Riddick. "I want to do a full evaluation to make sure I cover all the bases to prepare you for anything even remotely possible."

"Do what you gotta do," Riddick said quietly. "How long are we talking?"

"Probably a few days, maybe a week if we find anything that needs further testing."

"So how is this going to work?" She shook her head in confusion. "Well, if this is off the record and no one else even knows you've got someone here, how are these two," he said, gesturing toward Jack and Chikage, "gonna get around here without raising eyebrows?"

"No one will ask questions, and if they do, I'll just tell them you're a patient. No names, no more questions." He nodded once in satisfaction. "I'll give you two ladies passes for the cafeteria. It's not great food, but it fills your stomach. And you'll be free to leave to go walk around for a while or get something else to eat if you find you can't stand the cafeteria menu anymore," she said with a smile. "Just like an every day patient's family." Marie stood, collecting the vials of blood she'd just taken. "We'll start the rest tomorrow," she said, pausing at the door. "I'm going to take these to the lab and get the testing started, so you rest up and I'll see you in the morning." Chikage turned to Riddick once the door was closed, resting her chin on the edge of the bed.

"You're sure about this?" she asked quietly. He smiled, reaching out to run his fingers over her hair.

"No, but it has to be done," he answered. "I don't think anything's going to happen, but I really don't want to be here." She nodded. "I want you to keep your ears open though, just in case."

"I was planning on it," she said with a knowing smile.

"C'mere," he said, pulling Jack with him as he scooted backwards toward the wall. Chikage gave him an odd look, but crawled onto the bed behind Jack, curling up against the girl's back so she was cradled between them. Riddick's hand settled on her cheek as she wrapped an arm around Jack protectively, and she stared over the girl's head at him, watching him lean forward to press his lips lightly to hers. He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, his eyes fluttering closed. "I want to tell you something, Chi," he said quietly. Her brow furled, and she shook her head.

"You don't have to, Riddick," she whispered. His eyes met hers questioningly, and she shook her head again. "I know how you feel about saying it, and you don't need to." He nodded, granting her a small, apologetic smile before she leaned in for another short kiss. The bed was cramped all night, none of them moving much, but there was no complaint.


	26. Chapter 26

Lifeline

Chapter 26

Chikage and Riddick woke at the same time, both looking toward the door as it clicked, opening slowly. She glanced at him as Marie appeared in the hallway, smiling slightly. Riddick roused Jack, who moaned and grunted, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to stretch, still smashed between two bodies.

"Take her into the other room and let her get cleaned up," Riddick instructed quietly. Chikage nodded, rolling off the side of the cot to land on her feet silently. Marie continued to stand there, just watching the three. "Go get some breakfast or something." Another small nod, and he looked to Marie. "Can you get them some scrubs to wear around the clinic? I didn't think to have them pack any clean clothes."

"Sure," Marie said with a nod, turning and disappearing back into the hallway, the door shutting with another click. Chikage walked Jack into the adjoining room and returned a few seconds after he heard the shower turn on.

"You gonna be okay by yourself?" she asked him, watching him glance up at her with an expression saying he wasn't quite sure if she was joking. She smiled, and he shook his head with a quiet chuckle. "How long do you want us to be gone?" He sighed, leaning back in the bed and staring at the tape holding the IV needle down.

"I don't know," he answered, shrugging. "I don't want her to see me knocked out though." Chikage nodded, taking the seat still positioned next to the bed.

"What about me?" He glanced at her quickly.

"I don't want you to see me that way either," he grumbled. She sighed.

"I guess we're staying in the other room then," she said with a shrug. She took a breath and paused, waiting for him to look up at her curiously. "I think it'd be good for her."

"How's that?"

"She's got this idea that you're invincible," she explained with a small shrug. "I think if she sees that you're not, she won't get the idea in her head that she can be too. She's a teenager, Riddick. She already thinks she's invincible just because of that, but maybe she'll realize no one is." He sighed heavily. "But I also think she'll take it personally if she thinks you don't want to see her." A sharp glance, and Chikage sighed, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the edge of his bed. He reached out, tangling his fingers in her hair. "And I'd kinda like to see you weak and vulnerable." He let out a deep laugh, drawing a satisfied smile. The door clicked again, and they were back to all business faces.

"I put the scrubs on the bed in there, is that okay?" Marie asked timidly, watching Chikage rise to her full height.

"Yeah, thanks," the taller woman said. Riddick watched, fighting back the amusement as Chikage stared Marie down, a clear warning not to pull anything while she was gone and he was at less than 100 percent. She turned toward the door leading to Jack's room and reached for the handle.

"Don't be long," he said quietly, watching Chikage whip back around to face him, the surprise showing on her face. He nodded once, and the tiniest of smiles pulled at the corners of her lips as she nodded and vanished behind the door. He watched Marie pull the cap off a small syringe and reach for the line of his IV, quickly squirting the liquid into the drip. His eyebrow rose.

"It's a sedative," she said quietly, glancing at him as she pulled the needle out of the line. "A mild one. It'll just help calm you down." His eyebrow remained arched, and she gave him a reassuring smile. "I can imagine it's been a while since you've seen a doctor. Protocol for this type of thing." He nodded, but his expression didn't relax. "Just out of curiosity, who gave you the shine?"

"Prison doc," he answered gruffly. She looked at him quickly, blinking several times before looking back to her paperwork, scribbling something down. "Why?"

"Mind if I check them out? See how they're doing?"

"Like I said, you do what you gotta do," he said with a shrug. "Just don't shine a fucking light in my eyes," he warned. She gave him a warm smile.

"Believe it or not, I do know about what you call shine jobs. Several of my patients have had them, and I quickly learned how to examine for any problems."

"Really."

"Yeah," she said with a modest shrug. "Did some reading, and even made an appointment to visit a doctor in prison known to perform the surgeries." Riddick's eyes narrowed. "I wanted to know how it was done so my patients could be better served. Did he give you an anesthetic?"

"Why?"

"Just wondering." She was still scribbling at his chart, and he wanted to know what was so intriguing and/or important to go into a file that would later be destroyed.

"No, I didn't." Her eyes met his quickly, just staring across the room at him. "What, are you gonna ask me to tell you about it too?"

"No," she said, quickly recovering her senses. "You'll have to forgive me, Richard," she finally said after a beat. His eyes remained on her as she slowly sat on a stool, rolling toward him. "First off, I'm quite surprised you agreed to come here. I never thought you'd trust me after what I was involved with before."

"What makes you think I trust you?" Her mouth closed, and she swallowed, finally shaking her head.

"You're an interesting patient, Richard," she continued, ignoring his question. He noticed, unable to stop the smile at her discomfort. "I have to admit I'm very excited you're giving me the chance to follow up." A quick, guilty glance up at him. "And I know you're thinking I'm only doing this because of the Evanis project, but I'm not."

"Why, then?"

"I want to make sure you're okay."

"You didn't give a shit whether or not I was okay until I showed up in your car and started asking questions," he said pointedly.

"Not true," she said with a tiny shake of her head. "I always wondered about you. We watched you for a week after the procedure was completed, just because none of the others survived it." She turned, picking up another syringe. "This is a dye. Won't affect you in the least, but it'll show up on the body scans. See how the blood's flowing." He didn't acknowledge the information. "I thought about you every day, Richard," she said quietly, watching him watch the liquid slowly pool into his IV. His eyelids were starting to droop.

"Question," he said quietly.

"Mm hmm?"

"Is this shit gonna knock me out?"

"Not completely, no. It's not an anesthetic, just a sedative. You'll want to sleep, and it's probably a good idea. But you'll be able to wake up."

"I slept all night," he mumbled, relaxing into the cot's thin mattress.

"You've got a long day ahead of you, Richard," she said soothingly. "I'll take care of you. Don't worry." He nodded, murmuring something to his shoulder. "I'll be by your side the whole time," she continued. "I promise." Soon, he was sound asleep, and Marie heard the adjoining room's door to the hallway click twice. A moment later, she was out the door as well, hurrying down the hall toward the body scan department, letting them know she was ready to start. Two larger men followed her back, glancing at each other as they entered the room behind her.

"Is that…?" one asked quietly. She glared at them.

"I told you. No questions," she snapped. "And if you value your job, you'll remember that oath you took, promising to preserve the physician patient privilege." They both nodded quickly, locking the bed's edge guards in place before wheeling Riddick from the room.

"What the fuck is this shit?" Jack asked, poking at the food on her plate with a plastic spork. Chikage snickered, shaking her head.

"God only knows," she said quietly. "I think we'll go down the street for lunch. What do you say?" Jack nodded vigorously, sighing before braving the first bite. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't really good, either. Just kind of there. Tasteless, really. They trudged through breakfast without another word, both their minds returning to Riddick. After Chikage finished her coffee and got a refill to go, they walked around the clinic, pausing in the assortment of gift shops down each corridor. Finally, Jack cleared her throat, drawing Chikage's attention.

"So I'm guessing he wanted us out for a while so Marie could do her thing." Chikage nodded, her steps slowing slightly as she took a quick sip of coffee in order to avoid pouring it down her front.

"I know she wanted to do the body scans before the blood tests came back, so that's probably what they're doing now. He probably just didn't want you to come back and freak out that he wasn't in his room." Jack nodded absently, picking up a stuffed bear and tossing it in the air a few times before setting it back down.

"Should we get him something?" she asked quietly. Chikage glanced at her quickly.

"Get him something?" A blank expression met Jack's gaze, and she smiled.

"You know. A card or flowers or something," she explained with a shrug. "Just an idea."

"I hadn't really thought about it," Chikage mused. "You think he'd like it?" Jack shrugged. "He doesn't really strike me as the flower type," she said, making a face, which prompted an evil cackle from Jack.

"Just an idea," Jack said quickly. Chikage snickered, nodding toward the gift shop door. Chikage followed her out, and they moseyed back to their hall, slipping into Jack's room.

Riddick pried his eyes open, hearing a soft creak. The room was blurry, and he blinked slowly several times, trying to clear the image. Leather creaked as someone sat on the stool next to him, rolling forward to get a little closer.

"Muhree?" he slurred, opening one eye further than the other. A warm hand pressed to his cheek, the thumb moving back and forth, stroking his skin slowly. "Chi?"

"How you doin', sweetie?" she asked quietly, her voice sweeter than he was used to hearing.

"Where's Jack?" he asked through a grunt as he attempted to stretch.

"She's asleep next door."

"Time is it?"

"It's late. You should go back to sleep," Chikage said, still holding his cheek as she leaned forward to press her lips to his forehead.

"Have I been out all day?" he asked, nuzzling the pillow under his head. She nodded slowly, lowering her head to rest on his pillow. His eyes closed as she continued to stroke his skin lightly. "Keep talkin' to me," he whispered, working to focus on her eyes. She smiled, shaking her head slightly.

"You need to go to sleep." He chuckled, a sound low in his throat.

"I will if you keep talking," he said through a laugh.

"Ouch." He glanced up at her quickly. "You will if I keep talking? Geez. Am I really that boring?"

"I didn't mean it like that, Chi," he groaned, shifting under the sheets. She smiled, kissing his shoulder as she stood. "Where you goin'?" She pointed back toward Jack's door, a puzzled expression on her face. He shook his head, scooting toward the wall. "Stay with me," he said quietly, sticking his bottom lip out for effect. She sighed, glancing back at Jack's door before sitting on the edge of his bed, sliding under the sheet with him.

"As soon as you're asleep I'm gonna go back to Jack's room," she said quietly, pressing closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her, careful not to tangle her up in the IV line running to his hand. She rested her head on his chest, tracing the patterns printed on the hospital gown he'd grudgingly put on. "How did it go today?"

"I slept through most of it, I think." She smiled. "I need to get my hands on whatever Marie gave me." Chikage's eyebrow rose. "Sedative." She nodded, closing her eyes as she relaxed against him. "You know, I never would have believed I would willingly be staying overnight in a hospital," he sighed, shifting next to her. She chuckled quietly.

"Did it last night, too." He made a little noise, and she glanced up at him. "Jack and I walked around the hospital after breakfast this morning," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Stopped in one of the gift stores and she suggested getting you flowers or a card or something." He grinned, his eyes remaining closed.

"Did you?"

"No," Chikage burst, laughing lightly. Suddenly, the laughing stopped and she straightened up, looking up at him quickly. "Why, would you want that?" He shrugged noncommittally. "Would you?"

"I wouldn't complain, but I wouldn't ask for it either," he said, a ghost of a smile tugging at his cheeks. Her mouth fell open and he actually giggled. She was sure it was just the drugs he was on, but she memorized that moment. He fell quiet, and soon his breathing slowed. She slid from his grasp, smiling as she looked over him for a moment before returning to Jack's room.


	27. Chapter 27

Lifeline

Chapter 27

Chikage sighed, letting the water run over her face as she closed her eyes, tilting her head toward the ceiling. She stood that way for a while, finally wiping the water droplets from the tip of her nose as she finally inhaled again, blinking the drops from her eyelashes as she reached for the shampoo. She finished her shower a few minutes later, toweling her hair dry and pulling it into a pony tail, pleating it into a neat braid before she stepped into the fresh scrubs a nurse had just dropped off a few minutes before. She opened the bathroom door, her eyes narrowing as she took in the short, dark-haired woman just closing the door behind her. It was still early – Jack was still asleep in the bed, and Chikage nodded toward the door, following Marie back into the hallway.

"I just wanted to let you two know you could stay with Richard for most of the day," she said quietly. Chikage nodded, crossing her arms over her chest as the woman took a breath to continue. "We finished the scans yesterday, and we're just waiting on results from those and the blood tests."

"And the agenda today?" Chi asked quietly, her eyes following a pair of orderlies strolling past.

"I'd like to check his eyes out. Some more minor tests today, and we'll see what happens after that when the results come in tomorrow."

"When are you starting today?"

"I was just about to," Marie said, seeming a little confused.

"Why don't you wait a few hours," Chikage suggested, glancing toward Riddick's door. "I'm sure he's still worn out, and I don't necessarily want him cranky." A slight smile touched Marie's lips and she nodded.

"I can wait until about noon," she conceded. "That will still give us plenty of time."

"I'd like to be completely honest with you, if I may," Chikage said, lowering her voice intentionally to attempt to intimidate the shorter woman. Marie's eyebrow rose, and she nodded quickly. Chikage licked her lips, hiding a tiny smile as she considered her wording. "I would say I trust you about as far as I could throw you, but judging from your size," she said, making a show of looking the woman up and down, "I could throw you pretty damn far, and that's giving you too much credit at this point." Marie's eyes darkened.

"Look, I—"

"Don't," Chikage interjected quickly. "Maybe it's just my previous experience with doctors," she continued, narrowing her eyes at Marie as the other woman's brow rose. "Or maybe it's just my general distrust of people who do nice things when they don't have to and haven't in the past." A low blow, but oh well. "But I swear to fuckin' God," she said, leaning into Marie as her voice lowered even further. "You do even the slightest thing to hurt him or get him in trouble in any way whatsoever, I _will_ kill you." She leaned back to give the doctor her personal space back. "And I think you know just how serious and capable I am." Marie nodded slowly.

"Since we're all being so honest here," Marie said, "My only concern right now is the well-being of Richard. If you have any doubts about that, you can ask the scheduling clerk over there," she continued, pointing. "I'm losing money on this. I've canceled all of my appointments for this week just so I can get this testing done in as short amount of time as I possibly can because I know how careful he has to be in staying in one place." Chikage's eyebrow rose, her lips firmly set, but she didn't say anything. "You have no idea how I feel about that project, and how every day since I've awakened in the morning with nothing in my heart but the drive to make up for it by helping anyone, and I mean anyone, who needs it. Don't question my motives here," she warned. "I may have had a hand in causing whatever, if anything, ails him, but I've had to live with that for nearly twenty years now, and it's about god damn time I made it right." Chikage gave her one small, satisfied nod, and the woman paused, scratching her forehead. "I know that they used all of their operatives as subjects…"

"No," Chikage snapped. "I'm fine. Don't even think about running anything on me." Marie shrugged.

"Peace of mind can work wonders," she said wistfully. "Let me know if you change your mind." Chikage stared after her as she walked away, letting out a frustrated growl before pushing through the door to Jack's room. The sight of the sleeping girl brought a small smile to her face, and she crept toward the adjoining door.

A small stream of light poured into the room from the light she'd left on in Jack's bathroom, and she stood there for a while, just watching him sleep peacefully. The more she thought about it, the more she realized this was probably the first time in a long time he'd really slept, not just napped. Her smile fell as she silently closed the door behind her, stopping for a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her bare feet moved quietly across the floor. He stirred slightly when she moved the sheets away from him, carefully crawling in next to him. He inhaled sharply, and she cringed. She hadn't meant to wake him.

"Time is it?" he mumbled, scooting over to give her more room.

"It's about six," she answered, curling up against his chest, tucking her head just under his chin as he draped arm over her, pulling her closer to him. "Marie was about to come wake you up and start the day."

"And?"

"I was getting out of the shower and told her to give you more time to sleep," she said with a shrug. He smiled, sniffing at her hair. "She wants to do me, too," she added quietly. She felt him move next to her, pulling away to look at her face. She shook her head.

"It's not a bad idea, Chi," he said, raising his eyebrow. "I hadn't thought about it."

"No, Riddick," she groaned, rolling to her other side, her back now pressing into his chest. She heaved a sigh. "I'm fine."

"So am I," he countered slowly. She closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly.

"I got lucky, Riddick," she said quietly. "You're the one that has to worry about it. They fucked with your DNA. I just got shot a few times."

"With toxic shit," he pointed out. She made a snorting sound, as though it were a minute detail. "Look," he said, "Just let her do a few blood tests and a scan or two. No big deal." She rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see the gesture. "C'mon, Chi. Do it for me."

"Why?"

"Because I want to know you're okay," he said, a small touch of hurt in his voice. She sighed, turning back to look at him. They just stared at each other for a while before she turned back to the wall, squeezing her eyes shut as he nuzzled the back of her neck, a soft kiss prompting goose bumps.

---

Marie knocked quietly twice before turning the handle, slowly pushing the door open and entering the room, her expression softening as she took in the sight. Riddick had wrapped himself around Chikage, his forehead buried in her shoulder. Suddenly, both of them opened their eyes, the contrasting colors instantly focusing on her. Chikage sighed and shifted next to Riddick, preparing to get out of the bed, but his arm over her stopped her as it flexed, holding her in place. She gave him a quizzical look, but he just kept his eyes on the doctor now growing uncomfortable under his stare. He glanced down at the folder she clutched between her fingers and then back up to her face.

"Results?" he asked quietly. She nodded quickly, still startled by the intensity in his gaze. He turned those silvered eyes on Chikage, his expression immediately morphing. "Will you go wake Jack up?" She nodded, waiting until his arm lifted, letting her up. She heard the silence resume as she left the room, quickly waking Jack and returning with the teen in tow. Jack was thoroughly frumpled, her bare feet slapping lazily on the floor as she scratched her head. Marie let out a breath slowly and pulled up her stool, staying near the counter as Chikage and Jack took seats next to Riddick on the bed.

"First off, Jack's results are back." Jack immediately focused on her toes, wiggling them slightly. "I've identified the attackers," Marie continued quietly, glancing at Riddick as she placed a stapled packet of papers on the counter next to her. "You can take the information if you'd like to." Chikage nodded. "That's it for you, sweetheart," she said, pausing to see if Jack would look at her. She didn't, so Marie swallowed and opened the next folder. "Richard, um…" Her eyes quickly scanned over the papers, flipping back and forth for a moment, before she returned to her audience. "Your blood tests came back relatively normal, all things considered." She heaved a sigh, more relief that the process was over than a foreboding gesture. "Bone scans were perfectly normal, tissue scans were pretty much normal, muscle scans were normal, and organ scans are something we need to talk about."

"Blood tests first," Riddick said tightly, his arm wrapping around Chikage's waist as he sat up completely. Marie's eyebrow rose. "Relatively normal?"

"Considering your DNA has been tinkered with, yes. There's nothing to suggest anything's wrong with your blood or immune system. There are a few indications telling me something's not quite right, but we determined it to just be effects of the transfusion." Riddick nodded.

"And the tissue scans being pretty much normal?" Riddick pressed, directing the conversation. Marie took a deep breath, shuffling through her papers.

"I'd like to tell you about the organ scans first, if you don't mind," she suggested. Riddick's eyebrow rose, but he didn't argue. She closed the folder and set it on her lap, twining her fingers over the pile. "A side effect, I'm assuming, of the transfusion seems to be sterilization." Jack glanced at Riddick quickly. "I can't pretend to know why, or even give you half an explanation, but that's what the tests indicate." Chikage's brow furled.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I can't have kids, Chi," he said, a slight teasing tone to his voice.

"I know that," she snapped back. "But that's a general risk for any kind of genetic manipulation, isn't it, doctor?" Marie nodded, tilting her head to the side as though she were surprised Chikage would know that. "So what is that important enough to justify making the situation sound serious?" Marie took a breath to explain, but Chi continued: "I mean, you said the organ scans were something you needed to talk about, instead of just fucking saying they showed he's sterile. Something we need to talk about is more like 'you've got cancer', or 'your stomach has a hole in it'." Riddick's fingers dug into her side.

"I'm sorry if it sounded that way. Most people would think that's a serious ailment," she admitted with a shrug. "I doubt it will affect your drives or ability to function," she said, talking once again to Riddick. "But you'll never be able to reproduce."

"Fine by me," he said with a shrug. "And the tissue scans?" She blinked a few times, opening the folder to stare at it as she took a breath and spoke.

"The scan indicated a small abnormality in your brain." The wind left Chikage, and she doubled over slightly. Jack's lip started trembling. "The blood tests, though, indicate there's nothing really wrong – there's no oddities in your red or white blood cell counts, but there is a mass in there," she said, cringing as she looked up at Riddick once again.

"And?" Her brows furled in confusion. "Is it something I need to worry about?"

"Not yet. You definitely need to watch it, though," she said. "Just to make sure it doesn't progress into something you need to worry about." Riddick nodded, swallowing thickly. "I know it sound serious, but the scans are very precise. The mass is only about five cells right now. The cells themselves aren't exactly abnormal, but they're not completely normal either." Chikage sighed, rubbing her forehead. "They do have the potential to change, though, and that's what you need to keep watching." Riddick nodded slowly. "Unfortunately, that means coming back here."

"And that means you need to keep a file on me." Marie chewed on her lip as she nodded. Riddick sighed, adjusting the vertebrae in his neck. "I know that's a risk, Richard, but I can assure you no one will see them."

"How?"

"First, I've labeled your file with a different name. Something only I could recognize." His eyebrow rose. "And I refuse to tell you just in case you're at any time confronted with it. No recognition means plausible deniability." She sighed, plopping the folder on the counter as she leaned on her elbows, resting on her knees. "But the real risk comes in when you have to return to the clinic. I want to see you at least once a year until something happens. Do you think you can do that?"

"Until someone catches wind, yes."

"And then what?"

"Then we come up with something," he said with a shrug. "We can deal with it when it gets here." She nodded, standing to go.

"Marie?" Riddick and Jack both glanced at Chikage, who was now staring at her hands in her lap. Riddick's hand flattened out, sliding around her side to her back and up over her shoulder to give her a small squeeze. Marie turned slowly, eyebrows arched. "I thought about what we talked about this morning," she said slowly, glancing quickly at Riddick from the corner of her eye. A small solemn smile touched his lips as she took a slow, deep breath. "I wondered if the offer still stood," she finally finished, raising her head to meet Marie's eyes. The doctor quickly nodded.

"You do understand I'd need to know what specifically was done to you," she said slowly. Chikage nodded, her gaze returning to her lap. "Let me go get a fresh chart to take notes and then we'll start." As soon as the door clicked, Jack turned large green eyes on Chikage.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked quietly. Chikage shook her head, managing a small smile at the teen.

"Not unless you don't think you have the stomach for it," she answered quietly.

"How bad was it?"

"Well," Chikage said, puffing at a stray chunk of hair falling in her eyes. "Let's just say some of it still gives me the willies." Riddick chuckled a little and leaned back on the bed. Jack glanced at him, silently asking for permission.

"Stay if you want to Jack," he said with a small shrug. "If Chi doesn't have a problem with it, that's all the say-so you need." She nodded quickly, sliding from the bed to curl up in the armchair beside it.

"I guess this means we're staying another couple of nights," Chikage sighed, flopping back onto her side next to Riddick. His arms immediately wrapped around her, and Jack sighed as well, slouching further into her chair. Another pair of knocks, and three pairs of eyes watched Marie walk back through the door. Chikage took a breath, waiting for Marie's pen to poise over the paper before starting her story.


	28. Chapter 28

Lifeline

Chapter 28

"What's the first thing you remember?" Marie asked gently, glancing up quickly at Chikage, who looked to Jack for a moment before letting out the breath she'd drawn in a heavy sigh.

"The very first thing having anything to do with anything even remotely medical was the sterilization." Marie's eyes darted up at her sharply, eyebrow arched, and Chikage smiled. "They can't afford to have pregnant soldiers, and they know they couldn't expect them to just not fuck around." Marie nodded, her lips forming a silent 'oh'.

"Was it surgical?" Chikage shook her head. "How was it done?"

"All I remember is taking a pill and a few shots, and then feeling really sick," Chi said with a sigh. She'd never noticed before how fuzzy her past seemed. Marie nodded. "You know what it was?"

"Typical, actually. Commonly used now. It's a combination of hormones and enzymes, almost always in a certain order although it's not been proven to be more effective that way," Marie said, still writing. Chi nodded. "What else do you remember?"

"Live round training," she said quietly, closing her eyes and nearly hearing the gunshots in the distance. "They were testing a new sniper dart. We didn't know it at the time. They just told us it would prepare us for the field." Her voice had grown distant, though Riddick tried to keep her in the present by always moving a part of him in contact with her – a foot, a finger, his breath, anything. "I ended up on the sniper team and used the darts myself."

"Do you have one?" Marie asked quietly, watching Chi's eyes open slowly.

"Not with me right now," she said, shaking her head. "I can tell you what was in it though." Marie nodded, turning her attention back to her papers. "TX977," Chikage said, watching Marie drop the pen and stare up at her in shock. "Yeah, I know. Luckily for us they already had an antidote, and luckily for me, I was in the group that was going to get it."

"They let it kill people." Statement, not question, and Chikage nodded.

"They wanted to know how it worked, and how quickly." Marie sighed.

"So you were given an antidote. I'll have to research that."

"You won't find it," Chi nearly whispered. "I've already looked. Unless you still have access to Company records, you won't find it."

"Do you know what it was called?" Chikage shook her head, and Marie's brow furled in frustration. "Go on."

"A few years later," Chikage continued, "They tested a new vaccine on us. Rumors were going around that a new virus was in the works by some terrorist organization or something and wanted to get a head start just in case."

"What virus, do you know?"

"All they said was that it was known as V3981. I don't know if it had actually been named yet."

"I've heard of it," Marie said, writing again. "So you were vaccinated?"

"Yeah," Chikage said with a small nod. "Five times." Once again, Marie's pen hit the floor, and she finally let out a four-letter word.

"Five times?"

"Several vaccines in progress," Chi said with a shrug. "It happened all the time."

"Riddick?" Marie asked, now glancing at the large man beside Chikage.

"Nope. Not I," he said quietly. "Guess I lucked out."

"By the time they started testing the vaccines you were in Butcher Bay," Chikage pointed out. "They didn't start until you were already gone."

"Was that the only virus you were vaccinated for?" Marie asked.

"The only experimental vaccine, yes. Other than that, flu, pneumonia, encephalitis, meningitis, hepatitis, HIV, gastritis, herpes, pericarditis, and tuberculosis X, but I don't remember what order, if that's important." Chikage's voice held a slightly apologetic tone, but Marie shrugged. "I guess that's it," she said with a sigh, glancing quickly at Jack, who was only staring at her, seemingly intrigued. "What now?"

"Now," Marie started, reaching into a drawer, "I take your blood and see if I can get you in for a scan or two tomorrow." Chi nodded slowly, sticking out her arm as Marie approached. A few minutes later, they were alone again, and Chikage was drifting off slowly, now hooked up to her own IV next to Riddick. Jack watched her eyelids grow heavy, finally failing to open for a long while.

"Riddick? Are you awake?" Jack asked quietly.

"Yep."

"Did they do anything like that to you?"

"That and worse, Jack," he answered. She sighed. "Chi got off pretty lucky as far as I can tell. Why?"

"Just wondered," she mumbled, standing and stretching. "Guess I'm on my own for lunch, huh?"

"No, Jack," he said quickly, but still quietly, as Chikage seemed to be asleep. "You're not going anywhere by yourself. Not here." She turned to look at him, a 'well, what am I going to do, then?' expression on her face. "There should be a communications panel next to your door. Use that one, not mine. I'm not cleared for meals yet, but you should be. Just order something up." She sighed. "Food that bad, huh?" She nodded, making a face to prompt a quiet chuckle. "I'll talk Marie into getting me off this fucking IV and take you somewhere for dinner." Jack's eyebrow rose. "That a deal?"

"I guess," she said with a pout, though her eyes were twinkling. "I'm gonna go read," she said, nodding toward her door. "Take a nap. You look like shit." Riddick grinned, watching her disappear behind her door, the smile falling as his eyes fell on the woman next to him. He'd had no idea how extensive the experimentation had become, not to mention risky. And the fact that she'd almost not chosen to do the testing didn't bode well. Either she knew something was wrong and didn't want to know, or she just thought she was really lucky and was confident nothing had happened. He sighed, burrowing deeper into the pillow.

---

"You sure this is a good idea?" Jack asked timidly, sneaking a quick glance up at Riddick. He only shrugged, directing her down another alleyway. "I mean, you're kind of easy to recognize." He shushed her as the alley they'd walked through dumped onto a main street, pulling the cap Marie had dug out for him further down his forehead, hiding most of his face. They ducked into a small, darkly lit pub and slid into a booth, facing each other. Both hurried through the meal, neither wanting to be recognized by anyone, and left the pub maybe a half-hour after arriving. The more time they spent away from the clinic, the more uneasy Riddick became, and Jack noticed, asking for a bag for the second half of her sandwich. They walked briskly back to the alleyway, though not quickly enough to draw attention, and took turns glancing over their shoulder. "Something's wrong, isn't it?" she asked quietly, watching Riddick's jaw tense. She swore.

"Just stay calm, Jack," he warned. "The more you think about it, the more obvious you become. Stay on your toes, but just look like nothing's wrong, okay?" She nodded quickly, keeping up with his long strides. They paused before crossing the street to the clinic, heading straight for their rooms. Marie was just coming out of Riddick and Chikage's room when they rounded the corner, and her guilty glance made both of them stop in their tracks. She sighed, gesturing for them to follow her to her office, each taking one of the two chairs across the desk from her.

"While you two were gone, Chikage reacted to the sedative." Riddick rubbed his forehead, Jack's gasp nearly deflating her lungs. "She's on a breathing aid right now, but she'll be fine. We're working on flushing it from her system."

"She's just going to love you in the morning," Riddick growled, the deep scowl telling Marie his sarcasm wasn't light-hearted. She sighed.

"I didn't know, Richard." She pinched the bridge of her nose, leaning heavily on her desk. "Things like this are usually found out the hard way."

"I'm just saying." Jack glanced up at him, sensing the tension radiating off him, but didn't say anything.

"She's going to be fine," Marie insisted. "She just needs a few hours of sleep."

"Can we see her?" Jack asked quietly. Marie nodded with a warm smile.

"Of course you can. Just be quiet," she recommended. "The drugs we use to flush the system out usually leave quite a headache." They nodded, quickly retreating from the office.

---

"Rick?" Riddick woke suddenly, nearly falling out of the chair he'd fallen asleep in. Chikage glanced around the room in somewhat of a daze, and he reached out to smooth her wild hair away from her face. She started, then relaxed as recognition set in, finally managing a hint of a smile as his face registered his concern. "What happened?"

"You reacted to the sedative," he answered, nearly whispering. "They had to flush it out of your system and start over." She nodded, struggling to swallow.

"How long have I been out?"

"Since yesterday morning," Riddick said, taking her hand gently into his. Her eyes widened a bit.

"You're serious?"

"You kinda faded in and out, but it was obvious you weren't with it," he said with a chuckle.

"That bad?" He only gave her a tiny nod. "Where's Jack?"

"Asleep. It's late." She nodded, stifling a yawn. "Get some sleep," he said, standing to lean and kiss her forehead. "Marie says she'll come back tomorrow to talk about what came back on you."

"How'd she look when she told you that?"

"Concerned," he answered. Chikage swore. "Hopefully it'll be about as serious than the whole sterility thing." She couldn't help but laugh, relieved to see a smile break on his face as well.

"Yeah, let's hope so."

---

Slender, feminine fingers tapped in rhythm on the desktop. The hands attached to the fingers were obviously those of an office worker – someone not marred by the effects of working with tools, oils, or wires. They continued tapping until the patch went through, and a throat was cleared before words were spoken.

"I sure hope this is good. I was in an important meeting," a male voice scolded over the comm unit. Lips curled upwards slightly.

"You'll be glad I did, Mason," a female voice answered. "I have a case for you."

"Really." His voice held a slight tone of disbelief, or maybe that was challenge. "Am I going to be pleased or should I hang up right now?" The female chuckled quietly.

"I'm not sure if you'll be pleased, but it'll definitely do something for your status at the IGC if you play it right," she said, the smile remaining in her voice. Her male counterpart was silent for a moment.

"Go on."

"One Richard B. Riddick."

"You've got to be shitting me," he groaned. She sighed.

"Hear me out," she insisted. "I'd had my suspicions before, but never had the proof to pursue it. Now I do."

"Proof of what? That he's a fuckin' psycho? You don't need proof for that."

"He's the only surviving ERPC, Mason, and he remembers nearly everything." Silence on the other end again, and she knew she had him. "Every crime he's committed can be blamed either directly or indirectly on the project, as though he had absolutely no control over what he did. I did the research, Mason. What they did to his genes completely accounts for his alleged psychosis and sociopathy." A weighty sigh.

"So what are you saying, Marie?"

"I'm saying he deserves to be exonerated. Completely absolved."

"I don't think I can do that."

"You have to try, Mason." She rubbed her eyes, then glanced over her shoulder to look out the window toward the treatment rooms. "Just because he was involved in the killings doesn't mean it was willing or his idea."

"I think you're wrong," Mason said.

"Listen to me," she snapped. "They altered his genes. Do you understand that? I was there when they enhanced his aggression genes, his sensory perception, his strength; anything that could make him the perfect killer. It was all part of the project to create the perfect soldier, but you know what? It worked too well. I don't think it was any accident they framed him for the strike blunder that landed him in slam the first time, and I doubt very seriously they considered the possibility he would be able to escape, much less several times." Mason grunted, mulling this new information over. "Now, I don't know whether he felt like a caged animal and something inside him, whatever was controlling him, snapped or what, but he didn't do it willingly."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I've seen him recently, and he's not the same person."

"What the fuck are you talking about, Marie? If you altered his genes," she swallowed, cringing at her implication, "then his reactions – his nature – can't be changed. He _can't_ be a different person."

"You're wrong," she said, hoping her tone communicated the strength of her conviction. Evidently not.

"How am I wrong?" Mason's voice was a little gentler than before, as though he'd consciously tried to get himself under control.

"I told you. I've seen him." She paused to shake her head, glad she'd not opted for the vid comm. She didn't want Mason to see how Riddick's change had affected her – the way her lip now trembled, her eyes filling with tears as the joy of the project's ultimate failure rose to the top. "He's traveling with a woman and a teen. The woman is someone we need to talk to as well."

"Another con?"

"Yes, sort of," she said weakly. "I know it's a lot to ask, Mason, but…" she trailed off, pinching the bridge of her nose. "God, I want my absolution almost as much as I want his."

"You're sure about this." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping to calm the tremors in her throat so she could speak without betraying her true emotions.

"Yes, Mason. They've done more for the IGC now than they could ever realize. And they have proof." Mason was quiet for a long time before agreeing.

"Now, tell me Marie," he said after a beat. "Why is this all of a sudden so fucking important to you?" Her brows furled in confusion. "Why after all these years are you dredging this up?"

"I told you, I didn't have proof before."

"And I'm supposed to believe that's it?" She knew he had her, she just didn't know what to do about it. "Tell me what's led you to be so insistent that he's taken care of," Mason coaxed. Finally she sighed.

"Both of them were in the Black Ops," she started. "You know what I mean, as far as their health. I won't tell you where they are right now, they're not here with me just because of security considerations," she lied, hoping he believed her, "but I've examined both of them and they both have interesting side effects to the experiments. There's no way I could possibly know what kind of impact that will have on their lifespans, if there is any."

"Marie, you have to give me more than that," Mason interrupted.

"Richard has a brain tumor. Nothing serious at this point. Hell, it's not even big enough to justify going in to biopsy it to see. His blood tests and body scans are normal otherwise."

"And the woman?"

"Her name is Chikage Pierce. Richard trained her when she first transferred to the Black Ops," she explained, flipping through the file she'd started on the woman. "She was used to test experimental vaccines that never turned out to be successful, sniper dart chemicals. I know which ones, but I'm not going to tell you right now. God, Mason, she almost had it worse than he did."

"So what's going to happen?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"How do you want me to go about this?"

"I don't know. You'll have to work that out. I don't have enough experience in testimony before the IGC, but they have to hear from Richard and Chikage. If for no other reason than to completely exonerate them, but hopefully they can take some kind of retroactive action against…" she trailed off. "God, what am I doing, Mason?" He was silent, so she continued. "If they take retroactive action, I'll be in the crosshairs."

"Yes, but you were never a major player. If it comes to that, Marie, I'll handle it, don't worry. Right now just concentrate on getting them to agree to this."

"Don't let me down, Mason," she whispered. He laughed, and cut the connection without saying goodbye.

"Agree to what?" Her eyes snapped up, mouth dropping open as goose bumps rose on her skin. Her eyes confirmed what her brain already knew – that voice belonged to one of the subjects of the conversation, the only subject of the conversation with the ability to get out of bed. Hard, silver eyes stared down at her. She had to admit, his wearing scrubs decreased the amount of intimidation he was capable of pulling off, but not by much. She shivered, standing as she gestured for him to sit.

"How much did you hear?" she asked, frowning a little as he opted to stand, swinging the door shut behind him to lean on it.

"Just that the IGC is going to be expecting Chi and me pretty soon if your friend Mason is any good at what I'm guessing he does," Riddick said quietly, his expression clearly stating his lack of patience for games at the moment. Marie nodded, leaning back in her chair.

"Mind if I smoke?"

"Do what you gotta do, doc, but don't make the mistake of testing my patience," he warned. She nodded, her hands noticeably shaking as she lit a cigarette, turning her back on him only long enough to crack the tiny window in her office. "Now, tell me who Mason is."

"Mason isn't his real name, you know," she said slowly. "I actually don't know his real name, but that's not what you're asking." Riddick waited, crossing his arms over his chest. "He's an IGC clerk."

"A clerk." She glanced up at him quickly, his tone blatantly expressing his distrust of the answer.

"Yes. A clerk. The IGC is more of a court – a superior court – than a ruling body. They rule based on the decisions they make in landmark cases. Sort of like ancient case law," she explained, pausing only long enough to take a deep draw off her cigarette and exhale quickly. He noticed her cigarettes didn't smell as good as Chi's, his eyes flitting over to the box to see she had much cheaper taste. "Mason goes out to find cases that will decide current issues."

"So what's the current issue you're so convinced Chikage's and my cases will be so successful in establishing a precedent for?" Her eyes flitted up to him quickly at his apparent knowledge of the system. Inmates of his caliber were almost always intelligent, but rarely well-versed in the terminology of the legal system.

"There isn't one," she admitted with a shrug. "But it's your only hope for pardon."

"And when you say 'your only hope', you mean me."

"I mean both you and Chikage," she corrected.

"And what's in it for you?" She sighed.

"Nothing," she said weakly. His low growl sent a shiver up her spine, and her eyes closed. "If anything," she continued, opening her eyes to flip ashes into the tray, "I'm putting myself at an even greater risk."

"And why would you do that?" She shook her head, and he repeated the question a little more gently as her lip began to tremble.

"Because I feel guilty, Richard," she finally snapped, standing suddenly, the cigarette still streaming smoke as it was forgotten in the ashtray. "Because I did horrible things to you and dozens of others in a quest that was never my own. Because I was coerced into performing hundreds of experiments that the IGC would never have approved all because I wanted to keep my fucking job." She shook her head. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I'm doing all of this for my own absolution, even though it won't come from the IGC." His brows furled. "Why can't you just accept that I want to help you because I'm the one that caused you all this trouble to begin with?" She jumped as the door slammed behind him, then watched him stalk down the hallway and duck into the room where Chikage slept. Tears finally broke free, and she let out a loud, wet sob before turning back to the desk and collapsing into her chair, burying her face in her arms as the desk calendar soaked up her tears.


	29. Chapter 29

Lifeline

Chapter 29

Chikage barely heard the door open and close, knowing Riddick had returned from wherever it was he ended up going, but she kept her breathing deep and even, even as he slid back under the covers next to her. When his arm didn't slide around her as she expected, she turned onto her back, opening her eyes to look at him. He stared up at the ceiling, buzzing with tension as he just lay there on his back, arms crossed behind his head.

"I knew you weren't asleep," he said quietly, the tug of a tiny smile at the corners of her lips drawing her attention for a moment.

"You know something you're not telling and it's pissing me off," she said, her voice still husky from the sedatives she was now on and tolerating. He glanced at her quickly from the corner of his eye, but didn't say anything as his eyes returned to the tiles on the ceiling. She sighed, careful not to tangle herself in her IV line as she flopped on her side, resting her head on his shoulder as she threw her leg between his. "Talk."

"Marie ratted us out," he said quietly. She started, sitting up slightly.

"What?"

"Well, kind of," he corrected with a shrug. "She told an IGC clerk to start working on our cases."

"Our cases," she said slowly, not understanding. He sighed, shifting his position so he could draw an arm around her and pull her back to his side. She settled against him, but didn't relax much.

"One of the IGC clerks is going to try to get us in to testify. Both of them think it'll get us both exonerated just because of what we know about the Black Ops experimentations on the operatives. Kind of like a reprieve in exchange for information they can use."

"And what do you think?"

"I don't know," he said after a moment of thought. "I don't understand it," he admitted. "I mean, if Marie admits to anything about her involvement she'll be up shit creek, even if they don't decide to cut us loose."

"So she's risking her own neck for a minute chance that she can feel better about herself for making right what she did to you."

"Me and dozens of others, from what she said," he said with a small nod. "I don't get it." Chikage sighed, letting an arm snake around his middle to tuck under the shoulder she wasn't using as a pillow. His fingers trailed lazily up and down her arm as he pondered some more. "People don't do things like that." She shifted to stare up at him, but he avoided her gaze, still staring up at the ceiling. "People are innately selfish. They don't sacrifice themselves for a chance – a minute one at that – at helping someone they've wronged in the past."

"Just because you don't have a conscience doesn't mean no one does," she said quietly, receiving a small chuckle.

"I have a conscience," he insisted, the smile remaining. "Might not be the same as what most people think is normal, but I have one." He glanced down at her finally. "You need to quit believing all that shit you read in the psych books about me." She smiled, shrugging slightly.

"So what now?" she asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"This thing with the IGC," she said. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know yet." She nodded, shifting against his side to press closer to him. He'd become a sort of security blanket to her as of late. She woke when he left her, unable to sleep until he was back at her side or at the very least in the room with her. It was an odd dependency, one completely atypical of her, and it made her uncomfortable. Perhaps this was why Jack was so attached to him. He was a magnet. She'd compared him to a drug, but he was more like the moon, controlling everything around him just by his presence, as the moon controls the tides. "What do you think?" he asked after a while, just as she started to drift off.

"I think we should talk to this clerk guy and see what's up before we decide." He nodded. "Try to get a read on him. Find out how legit it might be."

"Okay," Riddick agreed, nodding slightly as he turned to look at her, running his fingers through the chucks of hair that had escaped her tight braiding. Her eyes closed sleepily, taking a long time to open again. "Get some sleep," he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead. "We'll talk more about it tomorrow," she nodded, stifling a yawn before nuzzling against him further. He stifled a laugh, glancing up at the adjoining door as it slowly creaked open. Jack peeked through the crack, and he motioned for her to come in.

"How is she?" Jack asked quietly, not venturing too far into the room.

"She's sleeping," Riddick said. "And you're not because…?" She sighed, dropping into the chair still next to the bed.

"I heard you leave and wondered what was going on. I couldn't go back to sleep," she admitted, rubbing her head.

"Well, get your ass up here then," Riddick said playfully. "We got plenty of room." Jack's eyebrow rose as she lifted her head to look at him. "Look, Jack," he sighed, "I know you've had trouble sleeping for a long time. And I know you think of me as your knight in tarnished armor." A twisted smile crept across her lips. "Maybe it'll be easier if you sleep in here with us tonight. We'll probably ship out tomorrow, depending on what the doc says about Chi." She nodded, quickly scrambling onto the bed behind Riddick as he shifted onto his back, one arm wrapped around Chi and the other around Jack. Chikage mumbled something in her sleep, prompting a quiet giggle from Jack, and the room fell silent.

---

Marie paused outside the door, leaning over to peek in through the window. The sight that greeted her brought a touched smile to her lips, and she shook her head slightly. No, Richard was definitely different. This wasn't the man who had laid on her table and tested restraints every five minutes as needles were inserted into his arms, who growled past the bit between his teeth every time she came near him the first few days after the transfusion as he became accustomed to the changes within him. She turned the knob, knowing it would wake Richard. His eyes followed her as she sat on the stool just inside the door, next to the counter. She waited in silence as he roused Chikage, leaving Jack asleep against his other side.

"What's the word?" Chi asked groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up slightly. Marie took a breath and let it out in a slow sigh.

"You got lucky, that's what," she said quietly. "Blood tests came back normal, with the exception of a few immunity issues. Nothing major. The TX977 is probably to blame."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning your immune system is slightly weakened. I wouldn't worry too much about it with the extensive vaccinations you've received though. Those are good for life, so barring any new and potentially serious infections, you should be fine, and even those would probably be highly treatable if caught early enough." Chikage nodded for her to continue. "Body scans were normal," she said with a shrug. "The only thing you need to watch is your immune system, and that's minor."

"So we're good to go then," Riddick said, glancing down at Jack as his voice awakened her slightly.

"I'll start Chikage on a drug to flush out the sedative instead of making you wait for it to wear off, and then you'll be free to go," she said, standing and turning toward the door.

"And our records?" Riddick asked quickly, watching Marie pause, looking over her shoulder at him quickly before turning back to the group.

"I'd like to hang on to them until you decide what you want to do about the IGC. If you decide to go, you'll need it as evidence." He nodded, stretching out an arm toward her.

"I'll take them with me." She nodded, placing Chikage's folders in his hand.

"Yours and Jack's are both still in my office. I'll go get them and bring Chikage's medication." Riddick nodded, his eyes lingering on Marie for a moment before she turned away from him. He shook Jack gently, waking her fully.

"Go get dressed and get your stuff together," he said. "Quickly."

"What's going on?"

"We're getting out of here as soon as Marie flushes the tranquilizers out of Chikage's system." She nodded slowly, rumpling her hair further as she scrambled out of bed and padded back to her room.

---

Chikage had never been so glad to be back on a ship in her entire life. Something about that clinic, actually all hospitals and doctors' offices, gave her a serious case of the willies. She collapsed onto the bed she shared with Riddick, the sheets still disheveled from the day they'd left for the clinic without bothering to make the bed. She buried her face in the pillow he'd used and inhaled deeply, a small smile forming on her lips as she pulled the sheets over her head. She heard Riddick pounding away upstairs on the punching bag and smiled, but it quickly turned into a yawn, and she finally let undrugged sleep take over.

Riddick growled and let off another wicked punch, the pleasing burn in his arms letting up slightly. He sighed, gripping the bag as he leaned his forehead against it, his breath heaving. A trickle of sweat traveled down his right temple, and he wiped it away with his shoulder, giving the bag one final swift knock before stalking to the door and wrenching it open, smiling apologetically as Jack started, nearly dropping the book in her lap.

"How goes it?" he asked, almost breathlessly. She shrugged, writing something on the notebook next to her.

"Okay, I guess."

"What is it today?"

"Math," she said flatly, placing the notebook on top of the book in her lap as she continued writing.

"Want some help?" She glanced up at him quickly, shaking her head. He shrugged, crossing the room to the stairwell doorway. "We're gonna take off in a few hours," he said, continuing down the stairs as he talked up towards her. "Would you mind locking shit down before we go?"

"Got it," she called back to him. He nodded, ducking into the bathroom. After twisting the knob on the shower to get the water going, he peeled his sweat-soaked clothing from his body, stepping under the spray with a contented sigh. Beads of water collected on his eyelashes, and he blinked it away, finally resorting to keeping his eyes closed as the water ran over him. He leaned back against the wall, letting his head loll back against the metal as his thoughts wandered. He wasn't sure yet whether the bad feeling he had about this IGC thing was legitimate or because he'd trained himself not to trust anyone. He had, after all, trusted Chikage to help him get Jack back, and Marie to check both Chikage and him, even Jack, out at the clinic. A heavy sigh, and he reached for the soap.

Chikage was still asleep when he got out of the shower, and he stood in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist, just watching her. He shook his head, a tiny smile lingering, and shut the door behind him. She started when the door clicked, shifting slightly in bed as she inhaled sharply.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he said quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed as he dug through a drawer.

"S'okay," she mumbled through a yawn. "When are we leaving?"

"As soon as I get dressed and up to the cockpit," he said, glancing over his shoulder at her. She nodded, reaching out to run her hand over his shoulder and down his back. He stopped rifling through the drawer at her touch, muscles tensing.

"You okay?" she asked gently, sitting up to rest her forehead against his arm.

"Yeah," he said, as though her concern were entirely misplaced. She frowned, and he returned to shuffling through his drawer. "Just thinking about that damn IGC thing." She nodded, placing a light kiss on his skin. "I don't know what to do."

"We go in armed to the teeth," she said simply, punctuating her statement with a gentle bite, smiling as his breath caught. "Guns, knives, shivs, everything," she continued, dropping her voice nearly to a whisper as she trailed kisses down his arm to the inside of his elbow, catching the sensitive skin there tightly between her teeth. "I'll wear those ankle loaders." A quiet rumble vibrated through his chest, and she risked a glance up at him, smiling evilly as he stared down at her, watching her movements with twinkling eyes. She scooted a little closer to him, running her hand around his belly to his side before settling in his lap, her legs wrapping around his waist as she straddled him. His hands slid up her legs, under her pajama pants as her fingers lightly traced the contours of his face. She let a small smile play on her lips as he pulled her closer, burying his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply. "There's something I've always wanted to do to you that you've never given me the chance to before," she whispered. He lifted his head, eyebrow quirked up, and she dropped a kiss on the arch quickly before crushing her lips to his, sinking her teeth into his bottom lip as she forced him backwards, his legs still hanging over the edge of the bed.

She held a corner of the towel around his waist as he scooted fully on the bed, watching as more skin was exposed slowly with a hungry growl. She started at his ankles, sliding her hands up his legs ahead of the slow kisses she trailed, alternating sides. Her eyes lifted to his face as he propped himself up on his elbows, staring down at her darkly, his chest already heaving with hurried breaths. As her kisses led up to the insides of his thighs, she reached behind her, pulling the elastic from the bottom of her braid and letting it fall loose, pausing in her teasing to pull her hair completely free, shaking it out as he fell around her shoulders. She ran her fingers through it, pulling it away from her face as she returned to her pleasant torture, hearing the hitch in his breathing as she worked higher, and she paused to grin up at him before disappearing behind a curtain of brown waves. He gasped at the first contact, his fingers twining in the sheets as her tongue swirled around him, the gasp turning into a gravelly moan, his head falling back as her lips closed around him, slowly sliding down his length. She got about halfway and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath through her nose and exhaling as she forced the muscles in her throat to relax before taking the rest of him in. Her nose touched the skin of his stomach and she inhaled once again through her nose, squeezing her eyes shut as her gag reflex threatened to quick in, but she pushed it away, flattening her tongue against his skin as she slowly withdrew, smiling at the whimper he granted her.

He half expected her to pull away and take a break to breathe, but she repeated the action several times, until his whole body trembled, before she let up and returned to her slow, torturous exploration of him. He threaded his fingers through her hair, smoothing it away from her face, falling back against the pillows as she stared up at him, smiling as she ran her tongue up the length of him. The sight was just too much for him to handle; that she enjoyed doing this to him enough to smile and twinkle her eyes up at him in the process. At every change of direction, he let out some kind of sound, which only served to spur her on. She glanced up at him – his back arched, lip caught between his teeth, arms flexing as his hands pulled at the sheets – and let out a moan of her own, immediately feeling him grasp her shoulders and try to push her away, she shook her head, prompting another groan.

"Chi, if you don't stop right now…" he trailed off with a strangled grunt, and she continued, smirking as he whimpered. His eyes flew open as he felt her thumb press tightly against the base of her current toy, but they scrunched shut again as the waves crashed over him. Another groan left him as he realized he wasn't letting anything go as long as she pressed her thumb into him, and finally the tremors stopped, leaving him even more frustrated than before she even started. "What the fuck?" he finally gasped, watching her sit up and run her fingers over her lips. She only smiled, tossing the towel over him as she left the room. He let out a growl as he fell back against the pillows, shaking his head.

---

Chikage tried to bite back the smile as he stomped up the stairs, flopping into the pilot's chair with a sigh. Jack's eyebrow rose at his demeanor, but he avoided both pairs of eyes as the engines started up and he started toward the end of the port. She let her eyes close for a second, instantly regretting her decision to do that to him, but she reached out for the comm unit, watching his eyes flick over to her quickly.

"Tower, this is the Black Angel requesting permission for takeoff."

"Permission granted. Proceed to runway 15 and await clearance, over." She replaced the hand unit and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Evidently he was more flustered than she'd figured he would be. Either that or he was so used to using private landing strips he'd forgotten. "Black Angel, you are cleared for takeoff. Safe travel." She clicked the comm off and relaxed back into her chair as he taxied onto the runway. Jack let out a yelp at the fraction of a second of weightlessness before the ship's gravitational spiral started in, and Chikage smiled, but it fell at the sight of Riddick's deep scowl. She bit her lip and turned back to the window.

"I'm gonna go back up to the library," Jack announced. Chikage glanced over her shoulder as Jack unbuckled her harness.

"How's the math going?" she asked, watching the teen stand and stretch.

"It's easy right now," Jack answered with a shrug. "I'm about halfway through the book now."

"Sweet," Chikage said, smiling brightly. "Like I said, the faster you get to it, the faster you get it over with." Jack shrugged again, disappearing down the stairs. Chikage sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"You call that motivation?" Riddick asked with a gruff snicker. She glared over at him. "She's up there busting her ass and all you can come up with is a lame 'I told you so'? Christ." Chikage sighed, shaking her head as she focused on her keyboard, still tucked under the ship's console unused during takeoff. Her fingers closed on the buckles of her harness and she released them, also stretching as she stood. She glared down at him as she walked toward the doorway, his voice making her pause and grin. "You do realize I'm gonna get even, right?"


	30. Chapter 30

Lifeline

Chapter 30

Chikage couldn't wipe the grin from her lips as she continued down the stairs. That is, until she saw the folders tucked into Riddick's sock drawer. She sighed, shaking her head as she bit her thumbnail, glancing over her shoulder toward the front stairs before swearing at herself and reaching for the sheets, quickly making the bed. Riddick had pulled three of the four corners of the fitted sheet from the bed, and a light smile returned as she fixed the covers, the taste of him still on her lips. She fluffed the pillows and walked to the door, those folders catching her eye again. With a huff, she snatched them up and plopped on the bed, folding her legs under her.

She opened Jack's files, her eyes narrowing as she read the list of seven names printed on a sheet of paper clipped to one side. Her eyes flitted quickly over the medical details, nothing to surprise her, and flipped the chart closed, biting her lower lip gently as her thumb ran over the tab of the folder holding Riddick's information. After a brief mental argument with herself, she opened it, flipping and scanning through the several charts and printouts clipped there, then reading in more detail the blood and body scan printouts. She didn't really know if she'd expected Marie to lie, especially when she handed the files over so readily, but found herself somewhat surprised that the doctor hadn't. She sighed. Why she'd expected those files to hold any useful information was beyond her. She shook her head and flipped the page, a tiny impression in the paper catching her eye. She ran her fingers over it, but with the words printed there, she couldn't tell what had been imprinted there. Her eyes narrowed, and she slapped the file closed, running through the kitchen and up the stairs to the cockpit.

Riddick heard her boots thumping rapidly, angrily up the stairs and felt a stab of panic run through him, but she went straight to the lockers, her fingers trembling as she tried to open it.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly, turning in his chair. She didn't answer, intently concentrating on the locker latch. He sighed, standing and wrenching the damn open. She glanced up at him quickly before snatching her pack from the locker and flopping to the floor, sitting cross-legged as she dug through her bag. "What the fuck are you doing?" he demanded, his eyes falling on the folder she'd set before her. He reached for it, but her foot darted out to kick his hand out of the way. "Chi, tell me what the fuck you're doing," he finally roared. She paused in her rummaging and stared up at him.

"Patience," she said simply, immediately returning her attention to her bag. He let out a frustrated growl and spun her chair around, flopping into it to watch her. Her eyes widened and lit up, and she pulled a pencil from her bag, quickly opening the folder and flipping through, turning the folder so the paper she wanted was upside down. His eyebrows rose as she lightly ran the side of the pencil's point over a section of the paper, a name and several numbers appearing. "Mason. Contact number," she said with satisfaction, ripping the paper from the file. "She must have called someone to find out how to get in touch with him and written it down on something when she had your chart open." He nodded, and she lifted her eyes to his. "We can trace it. Pay him a visit." He thought for a moment before nodding once, swiveling in the chair as he pulled out her keyboard, pulling up an intergalactic directory.

"What's the number?" She read it to him, staring up at the monitor as the computer went to work. "Fuck. We're turning around," he announced. "He's on Ergon." She nodded, standing and collecting the things she'd strewn about while digging through her pack, putting the bag back in the locker and going downstairs to find Jack and let her know. She appeared a few minutes later, watching Riddick key in their route. "I'm going around the long way," he said. "We'll land at a different port. Can you reprogram the ship's identification and certificates so we don't draw any more attention?" She nodded, taking the seat he'd left warm a few moments before when he switched chairs, and went to work. A few minutes later, after learning from her mistakes when she created the certificates, she asked him what name he wanted the ship to have.

"I noticed you didn't really like Dark Angel," she said with a smirk. "And we can't use it again for a long time."

"Think of something," he said with a shrug. She sighed, leaning back in her chair and staring at him. "What?"

"I suck at coming up with names," she groaned, shaking her head.

"Fine," he said. "Name her the Lunar Eclipse and be done with it." She nodded, typing in the commands. His eyes followed her finger's rapid movements, graceful and accurate. He wondered for a brief moment where she learned her crafts. She'd not gotten her computer knowledge and gadgetry from him. He pushed the thought aside. There were more pressing issues right now. "I'm going to increase the pressure in the cabin," he said quietly. Her eyes snapped over to his, a warm pain growing in the back of her neck at the quick movement, but she ignored it.

"What?"

"You heard me."  
"What about Jack?"

"She'll probably fall asleep and wake up with a hangover," Riddick said with a shrug.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Chikage asked, eyes wide as he reached for the control panel. "Why the hell would you want to do that, especially when we're going to have to be completely alert tomorrow when we go pay this Mason asshole a visit?" Her eyes closed suddenly, scrunching tight as she gripped the back of her chair with all her strength as Riddick turned the dial controlling cabin pressure. "Fuck," she groaned, slowly sliding to the floor. Riddick grunted, pinching the bridge of his nose as the effects finally got to him, and he shook his head as though clearing it before gathering Chikage in his arms, flipping her over his shoulder, and trudging down the stairs. Her ears were ringing, head pounding as she hung upside down, and she had to grasp his belt tightly to feel grounded. "God, Riddick," she moaned, watching the world bounce as she glanced around. "I'm gonna hate you tomorrow." He only chuckled, sounding very far away, and suddenly she realized what he was up to. Her suspicions were confirmed when he dropped her gracelessly on the bed, his hands moving to rest on his hips. She realized he'd kicked the door shut when she finally forced herself to sit up, feeling like her head would explode.

"I told you I'd get even," he said. She sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"You really think getting even like that with the pressure all fucked up is really a good idea?" she asked slowly, feeling almost drunk.

"Doesn't bother me," he said cheerfully, throwing in a shrug just to piss her off. As expected, her eyes narrowed up at him as he unbuckled his belt.

"You're a prick," she spat, her hand going to her forehead as she moved to the head of the bed, the dizziness almost becoming overwhelming.

"You'll get used to it," he said gently, giving her an almost-sympathetic smile.

"What, you being a prick or the cabin pressure." He glared at her, though mentally glad she still had her sense of humor about her.

"The pressure." Her eyes followed his hands as his arms unfolded, feeling nearly cross eyed from the added pressure. His fingers grasped the hem of his shirt and he pulled upwards, watching her eyes follow his movement as he exposed more skin.

"I dunno if I will, actually," she said slowly, swallowing thickly as she closed her eyes and rested her head back against the wall.

"Why's that?"

"Gettin' worse," she whispered, scrunching her eyes shut more tightly. He clicked his tongue at her, pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it to the floor silently. She groaned as he leaned a knee on the bed, shaking her slightly, and he sighed.

"Is it really that bad?"

"Think you could turn it down a notch?" she asked. He chuckled, and suddenly he was gone. A moment later, the pressure released, but only, as she had asked, by a notch or so, and she faintly heard his boots ringing on the stairs. Instead of going back to the bedroom, he passed it, going upstairs. A few seconds later, he was back, carrying a conked-out Jack into her room. She watched through a semi-haze as he settled Jack on her bed and pulled the covers up, closing her door quietly before returning to his own room. He kicked the door closed, the click barely audible. "So what's with the pressure?" A sly grin spread across his face, and she instantly regretted the question. She was mesmerized by the play of his muscles as he crawled toward her, a surprise gasp escaping her as he grabbed her ankles and wrenched her away from the wall, her head flopping onto the pillows.

"The pressure is turned up to block out any sounds you might make," he whispered, now hovering over her, just inches between them. "Because I'm definitely," he continued, pausing to grasp her wrists and raise them over her head, pinning her arms down firmly to the mattress, "definitely going to get even." His voice had lowered to deeper than she'd ever heard him speak before, and a shiver ran through her, instantly followed by a pang of pain in her head making her cringe. A quick flash of concern passed over his face, but was gone when she started struggling against his hold. It was replaced instead by a feral grin, and her eyes crossed as he leaned forward, his lips pressing lightly to hers. She arched upwards trying to find more contact with him, but he pulled away just enough to keep the contact already established. She moaned, her face contorting as she struggled harder, resorting to biting his lip fiercely. He pulled away, staring down into her face, the grin replaced. Her eyebrow rose, and she knew he was up to something. He shifted beside her, reaching for something, but his back blocked her view. She struggled against him, but only managed to waste precious energy, finally giving up and lying there, a bored expression plastered on her face. He turned back to her, and her eyes widened.

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head as he continued to pin her arms with one hand, using his other to raise a bundle of socks to his teeth and unfold them. "God damn it, Riddick, _no!_" She struggled further, thrashing her legs until he trapped them between his own, sitting just above her knees as he leaned down to kiss her once more, a short and almost chaste kiss.

"Behave," he cooed, taking her earlobe between his teeth, quickly releasing it. She arched up at him, trying to buck him off her, but he shifted, trapping her legs in a scissor move as he turned to tie her hands to the frame of the bed in an intricate knot. He made them tight enough to hold her but still allow her to figure out how to wriggle free if she really wanted to. She sighed, a deep scowl marking her face. "Aw, don't be like that," he crooned, grinning down at her as his thumbs hooked in the waistband of her pajama pants, drawing them slowly down her legs. She saw an opportunity and took it, her heel catching him in the stomach, throwing him with a loud thud into the door. His eyes flashed, and she stuck out her tongue, knowing she'd caught him off guard. She heard the growl before she saw him move, his fingers wrapping tightly around her ankles. "What, am I gonna have to tie these down too?" he snarled.

"Fuck you," she snapped, still trying to figure out the knotted socks holding her wrists. In an instant he was straddling her hips again, the tops of his feet pressing into her shins to hold her legs down. She tried to lift her hips off the mattress but he was too heavy, and she sighed in frustration.

"Listen to me, sweetheart," he said roughly, his fingers tangling in her hair, pulling her head to the side to bare her neck to him. "You should never have started this game if you didn't think you could handle it." She took a breath to snap a reply back to him, but the expression in his eyes made the breath catch in her throat. Her brows furrowed as he pulled away from her, the glint of metal behind him drawing her attention.

"Riddick, no," she whispered, shaking her head. She felt the point of the shiv press lightly into her belly, almost hard enough to draw blood but not quite. She strained against him, breathing heavily as he moved the shiv slowly up her abdomen, her favorite pajama shirt slowly being cut away from her. The straps were cut next, and he pulled the tattered piece of clothing away. Her eyes followed his hands as he gently set the knife on the bureau next to the bed, lowering his head to rest against her belly.

The anxiety remained in her stomach, twisting it in knots as his hands slowly tickled up and down her sides. Her body reacted, but her mind was still focused on the look she'd caught in his eyes. She couldn't think of anything to say that would be safe enough to break through this haze he was in, so she kept her mouth shut, focusing her eyes on a rusty spot on the ceiling. She felt him move, and her eyes closed as his lips pressed to her skin, his tongue slowly delving into her navel before he started a trail up to her lips. The expression was gone when she looked up at him now, but her concern remained, and though she knew it was written all over her face she didn't try to hide it. He shushed her, shaking his head as he bent to capture his lips in hers, but she turned her head away. She felt rather than heard the low grumble in his chest, and squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blow to come. Instead, his fingers lightly traced the contours of muscles in her arms flexing as she strained against the socks binding her, his lips lightly following his fingers. Goose bumps rose on her skin, but it was mostly from the ultimate feeling of vulnerability running through her at the moment and the flashes of memories long since repressed. His teeth grazed against the pulsating vein protruding from the side of her neck, the jugular, and she tensed, but felt him smile against her, and that didn't make her feel any more at ease.

"Don't you dare be afraid of me," he whispered suddenly. Her head snapped back to him, eyes narrowing up at him. Her mouth opened, but she couldn't form any words. His finger settled over her lips, and he shook his head, replacing his fingers with his lips, claiming hers in such a gentle manner it was completely unlike him. He traced the curve of her jawline with his thumb as he kissed her.

The cold air hit her as he lifted away from her, standing next to the bed just out of sight. No matter how she turned her head, either her arm or the pillows that had moved during her struggle against the socks blocked her view. She huffed, throwing her head back against the mattress.

"Patience," he rumbled. She jumped at the sound of his voice, and then felt the bed give again as he returned to her, the rest of his clothing removed. "You know, I thought you'd pushed every single button I had," he purred, running a hand along her side and down her hip and back up. "But this afternoon," he continued, shaking his head as he pressed his forehead to hers, "you found one I didn't know I had." She swallowed, the uneasiness returning at the ambiguity of his words. His eyes lingered on hers for a moment, his nose a fraction of an inch from touching hers, and his face was gone again. Her stomach twitched as he scrubbed the stubble on his chin down her belly, turning his head from side to side as the trail swerved. He planted a kiss on each of the peaks protruding slightly at the front of her hips, sliding his hands down her legs. His fingers twined around her knees, lifting one slightly as his lips moved down the inside of her leg, then repeated the action on the other.

His attentions returned to her lower stomach as his fingers tightened on her knees, lifting them over his shoulders. As he expected, she clamped her legs tightly around his head, her hands pressed into the wall helping to push him away from her, or at least trap him into going no further. The look on her face was priceless. He'd known this would surprise her, but the scent of her fear far outweighed that of her arousal, though it existed. He sighed, shaking his head as much as he could with her legs still fastened around him, and worked his toes into a good enough spot on the bed frame to counter her force, and since he was stronger he won. She either had to let him go or let him smack her head into the wall, and she wasn't about to risk passing out. With a growl, she tightened her legs around his head as hard as she could before letting him go. The pressure he'd been countering her with wasn't stopped quickly enough, and he landed squarely on top of her, his nose buried in her neck. The chuckle rumbled through him, and he shook his head.

"Chikage, listen to me," he whispered, directly into her ear. Her breathing quickened as the scent of her fear intensified. "Look at me, baby," he continued, nuzzling his cheek against hers before pulling away to let her comply. She didn't, and he grasped her chin gently, feeling the tremor there as he forced her to turn her head toward him. His brow furled as he realized just how terrified she was at this point, the tears already welling up. "I'd never hurt you," he insisted, mustering all the honesty into his eyes he could stand to without breaking down completely. "God, Chi," he sighed, lowering his forehead to hers, feeling her eyebrow quiver under his. He swallowed past the uninvited lump in his throat. His lips met hers for a brief moment, and when she didn't respond he pulled away, keeping his eyes clenched shut. "Please tell me you know I could never hurt you."

"If you care about me even the slightest bit, untie me right now," she said, failing to keep the tremble from her voice. His eyes opened, staring down into hers for a moment before he nodded against her, pulling away to untie the knotted socks. She immediately shoved him away from her, curling into a ball as she buried her face in the nearest pillow. He sat there for a moment, mentally scolding himself as he watched her rock slightly. The lump in his throat swelled, and he had trouble getting around it before he slid to his side next to her, wrapping his arms around her and curling himself along her back. She'd broken into a cold sweat, and he felt a sob rack her body.

"Shit, Chi, I'm sorry," he whispered, pressing his lips to her shoulder. She shuddered, and he pulled her tighter, feeling the tension hum through her. He took over her rocking, gently swaying both of them.

"Can you turn the pressure down?" she asked quietly, her voice muffled by the pillow. His rocking stopped, and he nodded, his cheek still pressed against her shoulder blade. He moved away from her, and she curled tighter into herself, hearing him pick up his pants and slide them on before opening the door, feeling him hover, just standing there for a moment before he was gone. She looked up to make sure he'd left and quickly rifled through her drawers, hurriedly pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, sliding under the covers and curling back up. She let out a sigh as the pressure was released, her body relaxing only slightly. His bare feet slapped quietly against the floor, his steps pausing in the doorway again before he shut the door. She heard clothes ruffling, assuming he was changing, and soon the bed gave, but he didn't crawl under the sheets with her.

"Do you want me to sleep upstairs? On one of the couches?" he asked quietly, folding his hands in his lap and staring down at them as he sat next to her.

"No," she answered, followed by a quick sniffle. He turned to look at her, but her back was still to him, and she'd not moved. After a moment, he nodded, shifting to turn down the sheets and slide into the bed with her, keeping to his side as he lay on his side, staring at the back of her head. His hand grew a mind of its own, reaching out to brush her shoulder, but he retracted it as she started, his eyes closing in defeat. "Tell me something," she said quietly. "How did you think I knew so much about what Jack was going to have to face going to see Marie?" He felt like she'd punched him in the gut as hard as she could, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

"I don't know," he finally managed. "But now I feel like a fucking idiot for trying this," he admitted.

"Anything but tying me up, Riddick," she whispered, shaking her head. The tremors had returned to her voice, her tears now falling unobstructed. She turned to him suddenly, eyes already swollen and bloodshot. Before he knew what was happening, she'd thrust herself against him, one hand looped tightly around his neck as she pressed her nose into his chest. "Nothing brings it back except that." He nodded, his arms going around her as he pulled her closer against him, his hands sliding up and down her back.

"I'm sorry, baby," he whispered, surprised at the shakiness of his own voice. She shook her head.

"You didn't know."

"I should have." She let it go, refusing to argue with him over this. Instead, she pressed closer to him, her fingers digging into her skin as another swell of tears blurred her vision. She blinked them free, and he felt them soak into the shirt he'd opted to put on, running his hands through her hair as he shushed her softly. He pressed his lips to her forehead and shifted onto his back, cradling her against his side. His uneven breathing slowly lulled her to sleep, but he remained awake.


	31. Chapter 31

Lifeline

Chapter 31

Chikage opened her eyes slowly, suppressing a yawn as she arched her back, stretching with a grunt. Riddick stirred against her, pressing slightly closer, and she smiled, the expression in her eyes slightly sad. She was actually quite surprised she hadn't awakened him already, and she held her breath, trying to slowly slide out of his grasp. His arms tightened around her, and she paused, biting her lower lip as he opened one eye.

"Where do you think you're going?" he grumbled, letting his eye close again. She sighed, lowering her head to his stomach as she curled up next to him.

"I didn't want to wake you," she said quietly.

"I wasn't asleep," he replied. She shook her head, tracing the slopes of muscle in the arm he'd thrown over her.

"I have to pee," she whispered. His arm lifted, and she stood, taking the time to stretch again before ambling into the hallway. Riddick sat up, rubbing his eyes, and then stood to dress before heading up to the cockpit. She didn't bother ducking back into the bedroom, instead going upstairs to see what he was working on. "How close are we?" she asked, nodding toward the large planet now looming before them.

"Got a few hours before they'll want to know who we are." She nodded, sliding into her seat to start changing their identification and certificates. They sat in silence for a while, both working at a leisurely pace. She quickly finished modifying their information and leaned back in her chair, cracking her knuckles. "Done already?" A quick nod, soon abandoned for a monstrous yawn. He smiled, but it fell quickly. "Look, Chi…" he trailed off, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"Don't," she said quietly. He turned his head to look at her, but she was staring at her keyboard, her thumb tracing the perimeter of a key absently. Her eyes lifted to his for only a moment before returning to watching her finger trace the key, and she shook her head slowly. "There was no way you could have known. Now you do."

"But…"

"Just don't do it again," she interjected, meeting his eyes again. His brows were furled, and he swallowed, looking more concerned than she'd ever seen him. She managed a small smile. "Listen. I'm not afraid of you. You just…" she broke off, shaking her head as the smile fell. "Don't do it again and we'll be fine."

"You make it sound like we're not fine right now," he said quietly. His eyes followed her as she stood, walking behind his chair. Her boots stopped directly behind him, and she turned toward him, bending down to wrap her arms around his chair, catching him in her hug in the process. She pressed her lips to the side of his neck, feeling his pulse race, a rare occurrence for someone as in control of himself as Riddick was. A moment later, she was gone. He ran a hand over his head and murmured to himself as he returned to the control panel.

---

"Hey Jack?" Chikage entered the library, watching Jack lower the book so just her eyes peered over the top of it. "We're gonna be landing in a few hours. Do you want to eat now or after we land?"

"Where are we going?"

"Back to Ergon." Jack's eyebrow rose, and she snapped the book shut, sitting up completely.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. We tracked down someone we need to talk to," Chikage said with a shrug.

"There's more to it than that." Both Chikage and Jack turned to the door, where Riddick now stood. His eyes shifted from Jack to Chikage, and he entered the room, lowering himself to the couch, sitting next to Jack. Chikage took a seat on the other couch. "Jack, I think you need to be in on this, just so you know what's going on and can be prepared if something happens."

"Riddick—" The look he sent Chikage shut her up. She was just going to tell him not to worry so much, but the thought was quickly abandoned.

"We're going back to Ergon to make sure someone knows better than crossing us," he started. Jack's eyes went wide, but she nodded. "With the records and tests and everything Marie did, giving us copies and everything, we're going to the IGC."

"What?!" Jack launched off the couch to stand in the middle of the room, staring at Riddick like he was one of the hammerheads they'd left behind on that god forsaken planet. "Are you fucking crazy?"

"Jack, listen to me," he said firmly. "You are going to stay here, on this ship, until we get back. We just need to think about this first step for right now, okay? Then we'll decide."

"So what's the first step, then?" Jack asked slowly.

"Making sure the middle man knows not to fuck with us," he said with a small shrug. "And after that, you're gonna go stay with Imam, and I fucking _mean_ stay with him, Jack." His tone had suddenly taking on a scolding quality, and her eyes fell to the ground. "We'll come pick you up when it's safe," he added gently, the angry father expression gone from his face. She glanced up at him quickly.

"Why can't I go with you?" she asked weakly. Chikage stared at Riddick as he stared up in shock at Jack. Finally, he leaned back on the couch, rubbing his forehead.

"C'mere," he said gently, waving at her to come to him. She complied, pausing a few steps away from him, and he reached out, folding her in his arms as he cradled her against his chest. "Because I want you to live to see your fifteenth birthday," he whispered. Jack's arms wrapped tightly around him, and Chikage just watched them, completely oblivious to her as they said an early good bye in a way. Silently, she slipped from the room, leaving them alone.

---

Chikage stared out at the nearing planet, her feet propped up on the control panel as random beeps sounded, the ship going through its programmed course and alerting her every time it completed a task. A hint of a smile lingered on her lips, the image of Riddick and Jack still fresh in her mind. A pair of boots clanged up the stairs, jolting her from her thoughts, but she didn't turn.

"Everything okay?" she asked quietly, hearing his chair squeak.

"Yeah, I guess," Jack said quietly. Chikage glanced at her from the corner of her eye, the dejected look on the girl's face making her turn.

"You sure?" Jack only nodded, still staring down at her hands in her lap. Chikage licked her lips, trying to think of a way to talk to Jack without sounding like she was trying to be motherly. Finally, she sighed, and Jack looked up at her. "Look Jack," she started slowly. "Believe me, I know what it's like to be left behind." Jack's gaze fell away, and Chikage sighed again. "And I know I haven't had time to completely earn your trust, but Riddick and I want to protect you as much as we can."

"I'm not as naïve as you both think I am," Jack insisted softly. Chikge smiled.

"He thinks you're more naïve than I do, but that's not why we're doing this." Jack looked up at her again, a slightly hopeful look in her eyes. "I remember when I was little my guardians always told me I was too young for this and too young for that…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "Jack, I'm not going to tell you you're too young for this because you're not." She paused, glancing over her shoulder at the door, thinking she'd heard something. Jack followed her gaze and looked back at her, confused. Chikage sighed. "There's no gentle way to really say this, and I'm not sure that's what you'd want anyway."

"Just say it, Chi," Jack pressed quietly. Chikage nodded, meeting Jack's eyes.

"It's just that you've already gotten through so much more than you probably should have." Jack blinked quickly. "Riddick wants to shield you from as much of that kind of thing in the future as he can because he lives on chances. And he seems to think you're running out of chances and that scares him. That's what I think." Jack swallowed, nodding slowly as her eyes turned to the windshield.

"What do you think?" Jack asked weakly, clearing her throat to try to cover up the crack in her voice.

"It doesn't matter what I think."

"It does to me." Chikage stared over at Jack in awe. She swallowed, blinking a few times.

"I think if something – anything happened to you again he'd blame himself, just like every other time." Jack glanced at her quickly. "And I don't know if he could handle it again as well as he has in the past." A ghost of a smile broke on Chikage's lips. "I feel really sorry for whoever he chooses to take it out on if it happens again." Jack couldn't help but smile. Another pair of boots started up the steps, and the conversation was dropped.

---

"I'm leaving one engine on for you, Jack," Riddick said gruffly, taking the pack Chikage handed him from a locker. He unzipped it, dumping its contents on the kitchen table as she set hers down, also rifling through. "Don't leave the ship. Don't open the ship up for anyone. If it's us, we'll just come in, okay?" She nodded, watching Riddick check the magazines of the three guns he would carry. "You've got plenty of food and water and everything in case we have to hide out for a while." Chikage handed him a small earpiece, which he inserted while she strapped a microphone belt snugly around his neck, a round object pressed against one side of his throat to pick up the vibrations of his voice and transmit them to her. It would be less obvious than the headset, though they wouldn't have the luxury of the video eyepieces, not like they had a map or surveillance equipment anyway. "If shit gets too thick, I'll shoot off a message to you and the ship's alarm system will go off. Just go up to Chi's computer and I know you can figure out the rest." Another quick nod. "The message will tell you exactly what you need to know. Worst case scenario, you leave and blow the ship." Her eyebrow rose. "Chi's already got it rigged. There's a file with instructions on her computer. Just follow those if the occasion calls for it." She swallowed thickly, but Chikage gave her a reassuring smile. "If that happens, get somewhere safe and do whatever you have to do to get to Imam, got it?" She nodded, a pained expression on her face, but he reached out and tousled her hair with a crooked grin. "You'll be fine, kid. Just covering the bases. We'll be back before you know it." The sound of Chikage zipping up her pack caught his attention, and he glanced over at her, watching her slip the straps over her shoulders. He reloaded his pack, sliding one of the guns into the back waistband of his pants before throwing his pack over his shoulder. Jack forced a small smile until they disappeared down into the cargo hold, and her lip began to quiver.

"So what do you think?" Chikage asked, powering up her night vision glasses and wiping them off before putting them on. Riddick glanced at her quickly without a falter in his step. They were just strolling slowly toward the building supposedly holding the IGC clerk called Mason.

"What do I think about what?"

"How do you want to do this?" she clarified, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"Go in, walk up the stairs, knock on the door." She stopped walking, openly staring at him. He took a few more steps, sighing before turning to her. "What?"

"Just walk in, huh?" He shrugged, turning back toward their path with another weighty sigh. "Not like you, Rick," she said, shaking her head as she followed. "You're more the type to go in through the ventilation system, wait in the shadows, and ambush. Not just knock on the fucking door."

"Look, from what Marie said, this guy is willing to help both of us, so let's just try to be fucking civil for once, huh?" he snapped, avoiding her eyes. Her eyebrow rose.

"And you're ready to trust a complete stranger with you now, huh?" He sighed again, rubbing his forehead. "Just like that. Marie says he's okay, so that means he really is willing to help and the theory that he could just be wanting to collect that big ass fucking bounty is completely ludicrous, right?" He stopped, and she had to throw on the breaks hard to keep from ramming into his back. His jaw clenched, the muscle rippling in the tiny amount of light being emitted by the distant quarter moon. She swallowed thickly, eyebrows trembling. "You've survived for more than fifteen years with a price on your head just fine. What's different now?" she asked weakly, taking a step back as he turned. "Hell, I have too. Why the fuck should we take the chance on leaving Jack by herself for the rest of her life on the tiny possibility that he'd help in the first place, and then that it'd work out?" In an instant, she was pinned against the wall, a good foot off the ground, staring down at him with wide eyes. The beast was released again, shining brightly in his eyes, his face drawn into a menacing glower. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why can't we just find someplace to go where they won't look, or keep hopping around so they can't find us even if they try?"

"Because they always look and they always eventually find us," he growled. "I will _not_ put Jack in a situation like that." She blinked, her expression softening only slightly. "The only way she's safe with us is if the bounties are gone and no one gives a shit where we are."

"Then put me down and let's do this," she said quietly, adding a nod while holding his gaze. He blinked, shaking his head slightly as though snapping out of some kind of a trance, and let go, letting her drop to the ground. She barely caught herself before her nose smashed into the pavement. He rubbed a hand roughly over his stubbly head, his hand shaking. She picked herself up off the ground, brushed herself off, and began picking the pebbles out of her hands as they began walking again. They reached the building after four more blocks of silence, and paused outside the main door. After a moment of just staring at the entrance, they glanced at each other and drew their weapons simultaneously, the safety latches clicking quietly in the darkness. He nodded, she mirrored it, and they went through the door, clearing the landing before heading up the stairs. After three flights, he slowly opened the hallway door, peering through a crack before walking through the door, Chikage in tow.

"You take the left," he whispered. She nodded, pulling back the slide on her gun with a too-noisy click. They both cringed, and again when Riddick did the same. They both pressed against the wall, Chikage on the left side of the door with her gun leveled, and Riddick on the left, his gun leveled as well. She swallowed, watching him reach out and knock three times.

Dishes clanged, and boots thumped madly across the room toward the door. Chi and Riddick glanced at each other, their fingers hovering to the side of their guns, ready to position over the triggers. The door was flung open, a moment of confusion running over the man's face before his eyes widened. He lifted his hands into the air slowly.

"Mason?" Chikage asked quietly. His eyebrow rose, his gaze shifting from the large man to his left to the woman on his right. He nodded once, swallowing slowly. "You know who we are?" Another nod. "Wanna invite us in?"

"Yeah," he stammered, nodding some more. "Yeah, sure. Um… come on in," he said, eyes still wide as he lowered his hands and backed up, leaving the door open for them. Chikage holstered her weapon, watching Riddick lower his but not put it away as they entered. She listened, but didn't hear the safety lever click. Mason led them down a narrow hallway into an open room. He gestured toward the couches, and both Chikage and Riddick cocked their heads to the side.

"Go ahead," Riddick said. "We'll stand." Mason nodded slowly, lowering himself to the closest couch with something between a sigh and a whimper. "I'm sure you're wondering how we found you." Mason' eyes snapped up to Riddick's, a quick shiver running over him as the silver eyes narrowed down at him. "I'll just say we have our ways."

"Does Marie know you're here?"

"Marie doesn't even know we know you were on the same planet as her," Chikage answered, scratching her forehead. "Hell, she probably doesn't even know that."

"You know why we're here?" Riddick asked, leaning forward on his elbows against the back of a chair, gun still in hand.

"I'm willing to bet you want to feel me out," he said with a small shrug, slowly gaining his confidence back. "See if you really can trust me, am I right?"

"We're not the trusting type," Chikage said coldly, adjusting her glasses while still keeping her hateful stare focused on Mason. "Give us a reason to trust you and we'll see what happens."

"Fair enough," he sighed. "What kind of reason are we talking about here?"

"Think of something," Riddick growled. Chikage glanced up at him quickly. This was no time for him to lose his patience. He nodded, rubbing his chin as he thought. The two intruders waited in silence as he considered his options.

"Okay," Mason said slowly. "First off, your case hasn't been solicited."

"Meaning what?" Riddick interjected, receiving a quick glance from the man.

"Meaning I've not been asked by the Council to look into it." He heaved a sigh, leaning forward on his knees. "Here's how it works. If a pressing issue comes up, like Company's extermination of the few species on Krylon 29 so that they could colonize, a Councilmember would come to me and ask me to investigate. Find anything that would help the IGC decide if the action is permissible or not."

"And was it?" Chikage asked quickly. Mason's eyes met hers, and she shook her head, a disgusted smirk twisting her lips. "Bastards."

"Wasn't my case," he said with a shrug. "If they'd come to me, they'd never have allowed it."

"And you didn't step in," Riddick assumed.

"I couldn't. But back to the issue at hand. They'd come to me, I'd do some research and present my findings." He shook his head, leaning back into the cushions with a sigh. "Thing is, the IGC doesn't know about the experimentation."

"Bullshit," Chikage mumbled, shifting on the arm of the couch she'd settled onto.

"Okay, they know about the initial experiments, but they were under the impression that Company abandoned them after the investigation."

"What investigation?" Riddick asked.

"It only needed to be superficial to find the grounds to terminate. Everyone suspected they just moved it."

"And no one bothered to check into it?" Chikage asked, raising her voice slightly.

"Didn't have the proof," he explained, shaking his head. "No one had the balls to take it before the Council without probable cause, and no one could get it anyway. They hid their tracks too well." He paused, staring at his shoes. "But now, it's different. We've got the paperwork Marie said you took from the abandoned base, Richard, and the tests from both you and Chikage that corroborate your stories. Marie said she's willing to testify before the Council as well." Chikage couldn't help but snicker. "She is," he insisted, scrunching his forehead up in a somewhat insulted expression. "She feels horrible for having a part of it, and if it turns out she has to pay for it, she's ready to."

"Martyr wish?" Riddick asked, mimicking the smirk on Chikage's face.

"Guilt," Mason corrected quietly.

"So," Chikage said, the smirk replaced with the business look as she stood, slowly pacing in a small square. "How does this work?"

"Give me a week to get my shit together and present the idea to the Council at their weekly conference. I'll contact you," he paused, glancing quickly at Riddick when the low rumble registered in his brain as emanating from the large man with the gun in his hand. "Or you can contact me," he quickly corrected, his voice squeaking slightly, "and then we'll see what the Council says."

"Go on," Riddick pressed.

"If they deny the hearing, we can appeal, but it probably won't do much good. If they issue the request for the hearing, it'll take two days to process and then the testimony begins."

"Like a trial," Chikage guessed. Mason nodded quickly.

"Yeah, kinda. But, see, there's only one side. There shouldn't be any Company representatives to argue against it. We present our case and they decide."

"Is there a chance any monkeys _will_ show up to argue their case?" Riddick asked, standing up straight. Chikage barely hid a relieved smile as the safety lever on his pistol clicked into place.

"I guess, but I don't know why they would. I mean, if we've got the paperwork we have, and I might be able to find more actually, they won't have anything to counter with. You said the documents you have are signed?" Riddick nodded. "Did you happen to bring them with you?" A booming laugh startled Mason with a quiet gasp, and he swallowed. "Didn't think so," he murmured, wiping his hands on his pants. "Well, anyway, they'll recognize the names, or run them if they don't. They're official Company documents, so even if they tried to cover the trail it should be enough."

"Should be." Mason's eyes flitted over to Chikage's quickly. Her eyebrow arched slowly as she tilted her head to the side. "Should be doesn't sound good enough to me. How 'bout you Riddick?"

"I'd prefer something a little more definitive, myself," he answered, making a show of ejecting the cartridge in the chamber, catching it in his other hand, and reloading it. Mason's eyes followed, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"I'm afraid I can't give you anything more definitive," he admitted quietly. "There are no guarantees when presenting an issue to the Council. You just have to hope your evidence is strong enough to sway them."

"Let me ask you something," Riddick said quietly, still playing with his gun. "Say Chikage and I decide to testify. What's to prevent them from just hauling our asses in and dumping us off at the nearest slam?" Chikage made a face that said 'good question, hadn't thought of that', nodded, and looked back to Mason.

"When I present the issue for consideration, I'll qualify that you are to be given temporary immunity for the duration of the hearing." He looked to Chikage. "Both of you, I mean." She nodded, turning her head to Riddick.

"Sound good to you?"

"Sounds good to me," he said with a shrug. "Now tell me what's in it for you."

"I made the mistake of letting Marie talk me into this," he said with a small smile. "What's in it for me is that you'll let me live if I pull this off." Riddick snickered, shaking his head as he reloaded the cartridge into the chamber and slid the gun into the back of his pants.

"Just curious," Chikage said quietly, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. She felt Riddick's eyes on her, but didn't look up at him. "Why'd you let her talk you into it in the first place?"

"Are you kidding? He's got the biggest bounty in history on his head." Riddick growled, but Chikage held out a hand to make him let Mason finish. "If I got you pardoned, do you know what that could do for my career?" He huffed, shaking his head. "Hell, I could even go back to practicing law, or work private investigation or something. The possibilities would be endless."

"Personal advancement your only motive?" Riddick rumbled. Mason looked at him sharply, gulping.

"Honestly, the biggest motivation, yeah," he stammered. Riddick's eyebrow rose. "But I have seen enough to know that they seriously fucked both of you up."

"You have no idea," Chikage sighed, leaning back against the wall.

"If the tests show what Marie says they do, you've got reason for exoneration – full pardon because of what they did to you," Mason insisted. An unsettled silence fell over the group. "Would you like some tea?" he asked suddenly, nervousness showing on his face as the two other pairs of eyes in the room focused on him. "No? Okay," he mumbled, returning his gaze to his shoes.

"We should be going," Riddick said, nodding toward the door. Chikage stood, popping her neck before walking to his side. His hand on her stomach halted her, and she glanced up at him questioningly, following his gaze to the man staring at them. "I'll call you one week from this moment," he said. Mason nodded. "You don't answer, I'll track you down and kill you." The muscles in Mason's throat contracted as he swallowed in an audible gulp. "Slowly," Riddick added as an afterthought. "Either of us even gets an inkling you're fucking us over, we'll both kill you slowly." He nodded in a seizure-like gesture. "Got it?" Another seizure-nod. "Good. We'll be in touch." Mason let out an endless sigh as the door clicked shut behind them.

Chikage followed as Riddick quickly walked to the stairwell they hadn't come in through. His steps were hurried, as though he were trying to evade something without standing out, and she had the feeling he thought something was wrong.

"Riddick?" He shook his head, pausing on the landing just inside the door, looking down at the stairs to the lower level and up at the stairs to the next highest level, back and forth. "Talk to me."

"Something's not right," he said after a long pause, launching himself up the stairs to the fifth floor. She followed, boots pounding up the stairs as they continued to the roof, bursting through the door. Riddick paused, jaw clenched as he looked around.

"Riddick…" she sounded hurried, upset maybe, and he glanced over his shoulder at her. His brows furrowed. Boots were thumping up the stairs, more slowly than they had moved, and he growled, reaching over her to slam the door shut. His eyes darted around, looking for something to jam the door with, but there was nothing on the roof but him, Chikage, and dust. He swore.


	32. Chapter 32

Lifeline

Chapter 32

"Fuck! No fire escape," Chikage said after peering down each side of the small building. "What do we do?"

"Jump," Riddick said calmly.

"What?!" she hissed. "Are you fucking nuts? We can't _jump_. We're fifteen stories off the ground. What the fuck is wrong with you?" He sent her a look and pointed to an adjacent building. Her incredulous expression was replaced with a sheepish smile, and she glanced at the stairwell door.

"Now, Chi," he warned, drawing his gun.

"What about you?" They both heard the shuffling behind the door, and she stared at it, wide-eyed.

"GO!" Without a second thought, she took off, sprinting toward the edge of the roof and leaping, pulse racing as she hung in the air. The door slammed open, and Riddick fired. She landed hard, turning her wrist under the weight of her body, and she let out a yelp, rolling onto her back, gritting her teeth against the pain. Two more shots rang out, and Riddick was beside her. "C'mon," he gruffed. "Get the fuck up. We gotta move." She was up in an instant, the pain forgotten as another roof was crossed, then three more. She was about to sprint toward the next building, but Riddick's arm snapped out, his fingers wrapping around the back of her belt to restrain her.

"What?"

"Fire escape." She groaned, nodding, and followed him to the side of the building, pulling her pants out of her ass as she walked.

"Who are they?"

"Company," he said, extending his arm. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist with her good hand, watching his fingers wrap around her wrist as she straddled the small wall following the perimeter of the roof.

"Think Mason called them?"

"No, I don't think so," He grunted, now supporting her weight as he lowered her over the side of the building. "He didn't know we were coming, and didn't call while we were there." The metal fire escape landing clanged as she dropped, the impact shaking the ladders below her. He swung himself over the side and dropped to the landing. She looked up at him.

"And they wouldn't have had time to get here if he'd called as soon as we left."

"Exactly," he said, a grim look on his face. She sighed.

"So now what?"

"We lose them." Her brows furled, and he pointed up. Boots landed on the roof above them, followed by a strangled groan of pain, the Company operative evidently landing wrong. Two more pairs of boots followed, and Chikage's eyes widened, staring up at Riddick for a moment before they both ran down the stairs of the fire escape. They got to the bottom and Riddick reached out, pulling Chikage aside. She watched with a quizzically arched brow as he lowered himself down the ladder first, then pulled himself up to grasp the lowest rung in the pits of his knees. "Come on," he said, looking up at her as he waved for her to follow. She slid to the edge of the opening on the landing leading to the ladder and he held his hands out to her. "Give me your hands," he said, looking past her to see four Company men peering over the wall at them, one sliding to the top landing of the escape. "Now, Chi."

"My wrist…" she started.

"Fuck your wrist. Give me your fucking hands," he snapped. She reached out to him, cringing as his hands once again wrapped around her wrists, the throbbing returning as the adrenaline rush waned. He pulled, and she whimpered, her fingers digging into his skin. Before she could think again, she let him pull her from the landing, the end of her fall marked with a cry as her injured wrist was jerked at the violent stop. "Hold on," he grunted, his brow knitting in concentration as he held onto her. Her eyes widened as his legs straightened.

"Riddick…" her words stopped as he started to slip, and she stared up into his eyes as he fell. She squeezed her eyes shut, howling in pain as his boots caught the outsides of the ladder, getting her closer to the ground, but once again, the sudden stop too much for her wrist. Her breath came in struggling gasps, sweat beading on her skin.

"I'm going to let you go," he gritted, his head snapping to the side to see all four Company men heading down the fire escape now. "You hit, you get up, and you run. I'll find you."

"Riddick, I'll wait for you," she whimpered, the strain on her wrist from supporting her weight becoming too much for her to handle.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "You won't. Go to the hotel we passed. Wait in the alley behind it, between the dumpsters. I'll find you."

"Riddick…"

"Just fucking do it!" he roared, loosening his grasp on her wrists. She slid a little bit in his hands, and glanced down at the ground fifteen feet below her, then back up to him. She nodded, and felt him let go, forcing her body to relax to lessen the damage to her. The impact knocked the wind from her, and she lay there for a moment, struggling to breathe. "Chikage!" Her eyes opened slowly, watching him swing up to grasp the bottom rung of the ladder. "Go!" Instantly, she was up and running, ignoring the pain as her boots pounded on the pavement. She heard other footsteps following her and glanced over her shoulder, swearing as two more Company men appeared, gaining on her quickly. Shots rang out, and she flinched, but kept going, ducking into an alley as she drew her pistol, flipping the safety lever and firing. One of the men fell, gasping for breath as blood poured from the wound her bullet had left in his neck. She smiled in spite of the situation and turned down another alley, tucking the gun into the back of her pants and leaping to grasp a gutter, biting her lip as her wrist protested.

"Don't puss out on me now," she whispered to the injured wrist, growling as she pulled herself to the roof of the building, rolling to the floor behind the wall and holding her breath, closing her eyes. She counted her heartbeats as they slowed, then let out the breath, keeping it slow and deep. Footsteps pounded down the alley and stopped, shuffling around just below her. The Company guy muttered to himself, searching behind, between, and in the dumpsters at the intersection, finally looking up. His eyes narrowed, and he took a slow step forward, a smear of blood on the gutter above catching his attention.

"Fucking bitch," he whispered, half to himself. "Think you can fool me, huh?" She winced, shifting against the wall as she reached behind her, pulling the pistol from her waistband. Silently, she crawled along the wall, saying a silent thank you as thunder rumbled and the clouds opened up. She tucked herself in a corner, eyes widening as metal groaned against asphalt. Slowly, she peeked over the side of the wall, raising the pistol as a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. The Company guy continued to strain to drag the dumpster closer to the building on which she was crouched, and she lifted herself up to rest her elbows on the top of the wall, taking the time to make her aim accurate. She pulled the trigger, and the man's head snapped up.

"Fuck," she breathed, seeing the man's eyes narrow up at her. She closed an eye and took aim again, but paused, watching the man's face go blank. Her brows furrowed as she watched, and he wavered, finally falling over as a pool of blood appeared behind him. She let out a sigh and collapsed against the wall, smearing her own blood on her forehead as she tried to clear the rain collecting on her skin. After a full fifteen minutes of listening, she lowered herself to the ground, her shirt ripped to wrap the laceration in her hand and her other wrist held gingerly against her chest. Her body ached, her brain trying to shut down, but she slowly and cautiously made her way toward the hotel, an exhausted sob escaping her as she slid between the dumpsters. With no adrenaline left, she was spent completely, and despite her best efforts, she slowly drifted to sleep.

---

Her eyes opened slowly, brows furrowing in pain, but she pushed the thought away, concentrating instead on the boots she saw slowly approaching her hiding place, only visible in the small crack between the bottom of the dumpster and the ground. Still pressed against the side of the building behind her, she raised her gun, still ready to fire from the fight the previous night, and held it steady in the opening between the two dumpsters on either side of her. Her hand shook, blood dripping after soaking through the piece of shirt she'd ripped off, and her finger tightened on the trigger as a face appeared between the dumpsters.

"Give me the gun, Chi," he said gently. The trembling grew more violent, her hand shaking so hard the gun rattled quietly. He held his hand out, and her lip quivered, her nostrils flaring. Her skin was pale and clammy, dark circles under her eyes, and random scratches, cuts, and abrasions on her face. "It's okay," he whispered. "Give me the gun." His hand closed around the barrel of her gun, pulling gently, and she let it fall, the trigger guard hooked in her finger. He cleared the weapon, tucking it next to his in the back of his pants, and reached out to her. "Let's get you out of here." She only stared at him, her whole body shaking. "Chikage, you're in shock. You have to let me get you out of here." His fingers closed around her wrist, and she gasped, wrenching her arm out of his hand. He cringed. "You're gonna make me do this the hard way aren't you?"

"My ass is numb," she said flatly. He chuckled, nodding as he stood. She closed her eyes as he pushed one of the dumpsters away from her, sliding to the ground as the gap between the dumpsters widened. Riddick crouched beside her and gathered her into his arms. She didn't bother to cling to him, instead just hanging as dead weight as he carried her through the maze of alleys toward the hangar.

"I told you I'd find you," he whispered, lowering her to her feet as he punched in the code to lower the hatch of the cruiser. She leaned against him, the arm he still had around her waist the only thing holding her up. Pins and needles started moving in her toes, and she wiggled them in a useless attempt to ease the pain.

"You almost found me dead," she mumbled, her voice muffled in his shoulder. His lips pressed to her temple as the hatch ground against the pavement.

"Can you make it up or are you gonna make me carry you again?" he asked, a hint of a smile in his voice. She groaned, pressing her forehead into his shoulder.

"I'm just now starting to feel my toes," she said quietly, and he chuckled, hoisting her off the ground and kicking the button to close the hatch behind him. Jack's steps thundered down the upper stairs, across the kitchen, and halted at the top of the ladder leading to the cargo hold. She watched intently as the top of Riddick's head, and Chikage's ass next to it, appeared. She stepped back, giving him room to pass, and followed him as he crossed the kitchen toward the bedrooms, watching him lower Chikage from over his shoulder to her feet next to the bed. She immediately fell back, collapsing onto the mattress.

"Jack, there's a first aid kit under the sink in the kitchen. Grab it for me, will ya?" She was back in an instant, holding the kit out to him as he pulled Chi's boots from her feet, dropping them to the floor with two loud thuds. "What'd you do to your hand?" he asked gently, reaching out to start unwinding the strip of blood-soaked shirt material.

"Two guys followed me. I got one before I got to the alleys, but the other one was still back there. Had to get on a roof to get a shot without him seeing me first." Riddick nodded.

"What'd you cut it on?" He inspected the wound, pulling pieces of unknown material from the gash.

"Gutter." His eyes snapped up to her face, but her eyes were closed, brows drawn down into a grimace.

"Put these in one of those bags, Jack," he said, holding the pieces out to her. She opened a zipper baggie and held it out for him to drop the fragments into and zipped it shut. "You do anything else to yourself?"

"Well, let's see. I think I sprained my wrist, my ankles hurt like hell, I'm freezing my ass off, still soaked, probably have cuts and shit all over my face…" she trailed off, opening her eyes to stare at the pillows. "Did I forget anything?"

"I don't know," Riddick said with a shrug, going to work on her socks. "You tell me." She was quiet for a while, finally shaking her head as her eyes closed. She felt his hand settle against her cheek and nuzzled against him. "You're cold?"

"I think I said 'freezing', didn't I?"

"Don't be a smartass," he chided, letting a smirk slip into place. Jack grinned. "I think you have a fever." He turned to Jack. "Is there a thermometer in there?" She shook her head.

"No, one of those digital things though." He nodded, and she pulled it from its plastic packaging, reading the directions as Riddick reached for the clasp of Chikage's jeans. She did nothing to help him – couldn't really. Her body was too worn out to even think about moving of its own accord.

"Alcohol and gauze, Jack," Riddick said quietly. She laid it out on the bed next to Chikage as he rounded the bed to pull her shirt off.

"God," Chi groaned.

"What?" Riddick asked suddenly, thinking something was wrong.

"I feel like a fucking steak on display here," she mumbled, wincing as he unwound her shirt gingerly from her injured wrist. Riddick chuckled, crawling on the bed next to her. She tried to jerk away from him as he poured the alcohol onto the gash in her hand, but his grip was too strong. "Ow."

"Ow?" Riddick asked, grinning. Jack raised an eyebrow at him, handing over a fresh wad of gauze. "That's all you could think of?"

"Fuck you." A snicker, and he was back to work. After placing a couple of stitches in her hand to hold the cut closed, he wrapped the hand up, then started on checking out the wrist she claimed was sprained. He watched her face for reactions, pressing against her skin gingerly, then harder until she reacted or he decided that area didn't hurt. When she hissed, he let out a breath.

"It's not sprained, I don't think," he said, reaching for a brace in the kit. "Probably just turned it or strained it, but it doesn't seem to bad." She snorted or something, turning her head toward him to watch him fasten the brace around her wrist.

"Am I done?" she asked weakly.

"Not quite," he said, shaking his head. "You need a hot shower and dry clothes." She moaned, rolling onto her side, facing away from the concerned glances of Riddick and Jack.

"I just need to sleep," she mumbled, reaching for a pillow. Riddick intercepted her, grasping her elbow to pull her to her feet.

"You need to warm up first, and a hot shower is the quickest way," he insisted.

"Stop fussing over me, Riddick," she snapped, the demand coming out much weaker than she'd intended. "I can't even fucking stand right now, how the fuck am I supposed to take a shower." He only stared down at her, and her brow rose slowly. Jack pursed her lips together, slowly backing out of the room. They heard her feet move up the stairs to the library, still staring at each other. "Don't, Riddick," she said quietly. "It's bad enough you had to undress me and treat my little cuts and shit." She shook her head, pausing to swallow. "Don't embarrass me."

"Embarrass you how?"

"Just let me sleep a few hours and I can take a shower on my own later," she pleaded. He tilted his head to the side, and she narrowed her eyes up at him, squeaking as he pulled her to her feet.

"Riddick, please," she whispered, clutching him tightly. "I'm just really tired. Please just let me sleep."

"You're not getting in my bed after spending the night crunched between two dumpsters," he said firmly, kicking the bathroom door closed before setting her on her feet and guiding her to sit on the toilet. She watched him undress through sleepy eyes, and moaned as he pulled her to her feet again. "Hang on to me," he said quietly, lifting her arms around his shoulders. Her hands settled around his neck, and she pressed her forehead into his chest as he removed her remaining clothes, turning the water on before pulling the elastic bands from her hair, letting it fall in the after-braiding-crimps down her back. "Listen," he said, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear. "I don't care how much you think you don't need me right now, I'm looking after you until you're back to 100 percent, okay?" She made a noise at him, and he lifted her chin with a curved finger. "Got it?" She scowled, but nodded, and he pressed his lips to hers in a short kiss before picking her up and carrying her into the shower stall. The pins and needles slowly worked up her legs and into her lower back as the hot water thawed her out, and she leaned against either Riddick or the wall as he lathered them both up and rinsed off.

"Don't mess with the conditioner," she said weakly as he reached for the bottle. He glanced down at her, and she shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she repeated, heaving a sigh. "I just want to go to sleep." He nodded, holding her against his chest as he leaned to turn the water off, bending her backward slightly. After wrapping a towel around his waist and tucking the tail in to secure it, he pulled another towel around her and picked her up again, pausing in the hallway.

"Hey Jack?" he yelled up the stairs. "We're going to bed." After Jack yelled her reply, he took Chi into the bedroom and lowered her to the bed. She watched as he ruffled through her pajama drawer, pulling out microfleece pants and a long sleeve tee shirt, then selected a pair of underwear. She let him pull her to her feet again, leaning heavily on him as he dressed her, then stared at the door as he left, returning a few seconds later with her comb and the two rubber bands he'd taken out of her hair.

"You're going to braid my hair," she said disbelievingly. He nodded, crawling onto the bed behind her. "Where'd you learn to braid?"

"I watched you a couple times," he said with a shrug, pulling the comb through her hair. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensations as he pulled it into a ponytail and then braided it, all the way to the end before tying it off.

"I must say I'm quite surprised," she said through a yawn. He snickered, shaking his head as he dropped his towel and pulled on a pair of sweats. She fell to her side, just missing the pillows, and heaved a sigh as she let her eyes close.

"I'm full of surprises," he said playfully. She did her best to laugh, but it was half-hearted. "Anyway, you can sleep now."

"Thanks," she said, adding a smile. The bed gave as he sat down behind her, and she just lay there, sleep closing in quickly as he struggled to get her head on the pillows and pull the sheets out from under her to cover her up. She was snoring lightly when he finally settled behind her, throwing an arm over her side and stroking her forearm lightly. An exhausted groan escaped him as he finally relaxed, his own slumber not far behind.


	33. Chapter 33

Lifeline

Chapter 33

Riddick woke with a start, the sheet stuck to his body. He sighed, smoothing the escaped hairs away from Chikage's wet forehead, her face twisted into a pained expression. She groaned, shaking her head as he shook her, finally opening bleary eyes at him.

"You're burning up," he said gently.

"I'm fine," she moaned, shifting next to him.

"Let me see your hand," he pressed, already reaching for her. She put up no resistance as he unwound the gauze, clicking his tongue. "We have to get you to see Marie."

"Why?"

"Your cut's infected," he said, using the gauze to wipe away the green and yellow goo slowly oozing from the wound. She hissed, pulling her hand away to look at it.

"Dude, just shoot me up with some penicillin and soak it in hydrogen peroxide for a while," she mumbled, picking a crusty from the corner of the gash. He batted her fingers away from the infected cut, throwing the covers off. She shivered, but he was already searching for a pair of socks. "Riddick, I'll be fine," she insisted, reaching for the covers.

"Get your shoes on," he said, unfolding the socks and tossing them next to her, pulling his own on.

"Riddick, I'm fine," she repeated.

"Were you not listening to a fucking thing Marie told you?" he exploded. Her eyes widened at his outburst, and she tentatively reached for the socks. "Your immune system is weakened, remember? We have to get you to the clinic. Get your shoes on." She nodded, struggling to sit up. He reached out, helping her up, and she pushed him away weakly. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes lingering on her as he pulled a shirt over his head. As she laced up her boots, he crossed the hall to Jack's room, sitting on the bed next to her.

"What's going on?" Jack asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Chi has a fever. Her cut's infected," he said quietly, glancing back to their room.

"You're taking her to Marie?"

"Yeah. We're leaving right now." She nodded. "Do you want to come or stay here?"

"It'll be dangerous enough taking her when she's sick," Jack said, shaking her head. "I don't want to hold you up on top of that."

"It's gonna be a slow trip, Jack, and I won't be able to come back until Marie gets her treated and everything," Riddick said slowly. "You sure you want to stay here?"

"Well, since you put it that way…" Jack trailed off, sitting up.

"Don't forget your jacket," Riddick said, standing to return to his room. Chikage had fallen back onto her side, asleep again, and he sighed, scooping her into his arms as Jack emerged from her room, shoes, socks, and jacket in place, her pajamas still on. She shuffled to the cargo hold ladder, watching Riddick shift Chikage over his shoulder before descending, Jack following. She lowered the hatch, quickly catching up with Riddick after keying in the alarm. He moved as quickly as he dared with a limp woman in his arms and young girl in tow, and they reached the clinic within a half hour.

---

"Can I help you?" the clerk asked, brow arched.

"We need to see Marie. It's an emergency," Riddick said, almost breathlessly. Jack glanced up at him, noting the worried expression she'd so rarely seen on his face. Her brows furled.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"We don't need one," Jack snapped. "Just go find Marie." The woman's eyes narrowed. "DO IT!" Jack yelled, drawing the stares of the few other people in the waiting room.

"Jack," Riddick warned quietly. She only scowled up at him quickly before turning back to the clerk and raising her eyebrows. The woman nodded, hurrying away from the desk. Jack and Riddick didn't bother sitting, soon hearing Marie's shoes rapidly click down the hallway behind the door. It flew open, and her face twisted.

"Oh, dear," she whispered. "Come on, bring her in," she said quickly. "Thanks, Anna," she said, managing a quick nod to the still-scowling clerk. Riddick clicked his tongue at Jack as she continued staring the clerk down until her head wouldn't turn any further.

"What?" Jack asked quietly. "She was a bitch."

"She doesn't sleep much Jack," Marie said with a small smile. "She's just a little cranky."

"Well, I'm sorry, but when there's a woman passed out and ghost pale it's pretty fucking obvious it's an emergency," Jack huffed. "Actually, I'm _not_ sorry."

"Jack." Riddick's voice held a combination of warning and amusement, and Jack shot him a glare. "Enough." They followed Marie down the rest of the hallway to the back examination room, where Riddick lowered Chikage to the cot and Marie immediately started an IV drip.

"Do you know what happened?"

"She cut her hand on a gutter. Got infected," Riddick said tightly. Marie glanced at him.

"A gutter?"

"Running from Company monkeys," he explained. Her eyebrow rose, but she didn't ask any more questions, now intently examining Chikage's swollen and angry laceration.

"Do you know how it got infected?"

"I'm guessing it was something on or in the gutter. I pulled some slivers of something out of the cut, but it's in a bag on the ship." He mentally kicked himself for not thinking of grabbing it, but Jack rummaged through her jacket pockets, mumbling to herself until her face lit up and the bag was produced. Marie looked at the contents of the bag and nodded, dropping it into her lab coat pocket before hooking Chi up to heart monitors and other devices.

"I'm going to go ahead and start her on an antibiotic. Let me know if anything happens. I'll just be across the hall in the lab."

"Anything like what?" Riddick asked suspiciously. "Like the sedative incident?" Marie blushed, cringing.

"This antibiotic doesn't sit well with a lot of people, but it's the most broad spectrum drug we have," she explained. "Make sure she stays on her side. Has she eaten recently?" Riddick shook his head. "It'll be dry heaves then. As soon as it starts, if it does, come get me. Don't wait. The longer you wait, the more damage she'll do to her throat and abdomen." Riddick drew a sharp breath, puffing his cheeks out as he released it. Jack collapsed into a chair with a heavy sigh. "I won't be long." And with that, she was gone.

"What do you think?" Jack asked quietly, hugging her knees to her chest. Riddick rubbed his head, his other hand shoved deep into a pocket. He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I should have brought her here first. As soon as I found her," he said quietly.

"You didn't know it was infected, Riddick," she said. "How would you have known you needed to do that?"

"I should have anyway, just in case," he insisted.

"Well, she's here now, and that's all that matters," Jack pressed, shaking her head.

"But with her immune system all fucked up the way it is…" he trailed off with a sigh.

"Don't do that, Riddick," Jack said quietly. He glanced at her and nodded, collapsing into the other chair next to Jack. He stared at his hands in his lap, the worry still plastered all over his face. Jack's fingers closed around his and squeezed gently, and he looked up at her, managing a small smile before looking to the door as Marie returned.

"No heaves?" They both shook their heads. "Good. It's a common bacteria. Not a big deal. I'll keep her on the antibiotic she's on now and we'll just watch her. Did you give her anything before you left?"

"No," Riddick said, shaking his head. "I thought about giving her penicillin – it's all I have – but I didn't know if it would work and I didn't want to take any chances."

"Good. I'm going to stay here for about a half hour, if that's okay." Riddick shrugged. "If she doesn't have any reactions within the first half hour she'll be fine for the night." Jack nodded, forcing a smile up at Riddick as she squeezed his fingers again. This time, he squeezed back.

---

Riddick opened an eye to look at Chikage, who'd let out another weak whimper, only this time she shifted under the sheets. Another silver orb appeared in the darkness, quickly glancing at a snoring Jack before Riddick stood and crouched next to Chikage's bed. He reached out, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear, watching her start and inhale sharply. She stretched, making a little gurgling sound before opening her eyes into little slits.

"Hey," he whispered, forcing a small smile as he lightly stroked her cheek. She blinked, mouthing the word back to him. "How you feelin'?" She shrugged, closing her eyes again. "Marie's got you on an antibiotic. Should take care of the infection," he continued. She nodded, opening her eyes again. "At least a little better?"

"Yeah, a little," she whispered. "But I'm hungry." Riddick chuckled, running his hand over her hair.

"That's a good sign," he said, a small smile still lingering. "I'm hoping she'll let us take you home later today. Give you some pills or something."

"Oh, I'm not a good pill taker," she said quickly, shaking her head. Riddick's eyebrow rose. "Strong gag reflex." A sly smile spread over his face, and her brows furled. "What?"

"Strong gag reflex my ass," he quipped. She finally realized what he was referring to and grinned.

"That's different." His eyebrow rose. "It is. That's voluntary, and takes quite a bit of will power, might I add."

"Ah." The conversation lulled, and her eyelids grew heavy again. Riddick kissed her forehead, smiling as her hand looped around his neck.

"Stay with me," she whispered. He removed her hand from his neck and stood, glancing quickly at Jack. "She's fine, Rick," Chi whispered, stifling a yawn. "She knows."

"Knows what?" he asked, crawling up the foot of the bed to lie behind her. She snuggled back against him as his arm settled over her. "Lift your head," he commanded quietly. She complied, and he slid his arm under her, cradling her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her chest, his hand resting on her rib cage.

"She knows about us, Rick," Chi said. Riddick tensed behind her, and she chuckled. "Chill out. It wasn't going to be a secret for long."

"Um…" Riddick paused, glancing over Chi's shoulder to make sure Jack was still asleep. "What does she think about it?"

"I don't know. I haven't talked to her about it," she answered with a shrug.

"So how do you know she knows?"

"She's not dumb. And she's definitely more observant than you think." Riddick smiled.

"I know how observant she is," he said quietly. "She thought to bring the bag of little slivers I pulled out of your hand and I didn't."

"You were preoccupied," she said with a shrug.

"Yeah, well…" he trailed off, letting the conversation stop. "Get some sleep," he whispered. She nodded, feeling his lips press against the back of her neck before she closed her eyes again. Neither saw Jack open her eyes for a moment and grin.

---

Jack chewed on her thumbnail, staring at Riddick nervously from the navigator's seat, while Chikage sat cross-legged in the floor, running her fingers over the scar forming on the palm of her hand as they listened to his side of the conversation.

"Yeah. Two days, Mason. I'll let you know. Right." He hung up and swiveled the chair around to face the two women.

"Well?" Jack said quickly. Chikage glanced up at him, her eyes quickly falling back to her hand.

"They granted the request for a hearing." Jack let out a whoop, launching out of her chair, but Riddick and Chikage remained still, now just staring at each other, and Jack's celebration halted suddenly.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Well, it means we have to make an appearance," Chikage said quietly.

"But I thought this Mason guy did the research. Found the evidence and everything," Jack said, confused.

"We still have to testify," Riddick said, glancing over at the teen. Jack heaved a sigh and plopped on the floor next to Chi.

"So what are you going to do?" Chikage and Riddick looked at each other for a moment.

"I don't know yet," Riddick said quietly. "That's something we all need to talk about, I guess." Jack nodded, glancing quickly at Chikage, who was still staring at her hand. "You okay, Chi?" Her eyes darted up to his, and she gave him a dismissive smile, waving the question away. His eyebrow rose, but he let it go for the time being. "So Jack. What do you think?"

"I want the bounty off your head, Riddick," she said quietly. "Whatever it takes. You and Chi both." He saw Chikage glance at Jack from the corner of her eye, but didn't point it out.

"You have any idea how risky this is Jack?" She thought for a moment, then nodded. "I mean, we only have temporary immunity during the hearing, meaning if they decide they don't agree, we're stuck in an IGC meeting room and they can call Company ahead of time to assemble a time to try to bring us in."

"Like you said," Jack said with a smile, "Try to bring you in." Riddick snickered, shaking his head, but the humor dissipated quickly. His smirk fell, and Jack's smile followed. "I want you to be free, Riddick," she said, raising her green eyes to his. "I want to be able to walk down a street with you and use your real name, not have to try to remember which one you decided to use that day. I want you to be able to do whatever you want and go wherever you want without having to look over your shoulder or rename your ship and change the certificates or go by a different name." Jack stopped suddenly, shaking her head.

"Chi?" She felt his eyes focus on her and shrugged. "You have to have some opinion, Chi," Riddick pressed gently.

"I want whatever you two want," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper, still strained from the antibiotics she'd just finished taking. His eyebrow twitched downward slightly, and he continued watching her for any sign of emotion.

"What do you want, Riddick?" Jack asked. He snapped his attention from Chikage, and shrugged.

"I don't know," he said seriously. "I think life might be a little boring without the bounty." Jack giggled, but Chi wasn't laughing. Her head rose, eyes meeting his. "But it'd be nice to be able to live without having to worry about who's gonna try to kill me next."

"You're being awfully ambiguous, Rick," Chi said quietly. "Make up your mind."

"And what about you?" Riddick fired back. Chi's brow arched.

"I told you. It doesn't matter to me. I want what you want."

"Um, should I go to the other room and let you guys talk?" Jack asked quietly. Riddick broke his gaze from Chikage and chuckled a little.

"No, Jack. I, uh…" he trailed off, glancing at Chikage. "I want to try this. I mean, hell. If I can get you and Imam out of a pack of hammerhead people eaters, I think I can get Chi out of a room filled with IGC pussies," he said with a shrug.

"Who's gonna get you out?" Jack asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" Her large eyes met his silver ones, and he blinked.

"Who's gonna be your Carolyn, like back with the hammerheads? She got you out," Jack said, a touch of hurt in her voice. Chi tried to find an answer on his face, but it was the statue expression again. He stared at Jack for a moment, then glanced at Chi and left the room. Jack sighed, shaking her head, finally resorting to staring out the window at the tarmac.

"Who's Carolyn?" Chikage asked quietly. Jack's lip trembled, and she didn't answer, only glanced at Chi as she ran from the room. Chikage heard Jack slam her door, just as the hatch started to lower. "What the fuck just happened?" she asked the empty room.


	34. Chapter 34

Lifeline

Chapter 34

Chikage smiled slightly as she walked through the cargo hold, slowly approaching Riddick as he sat at the end of the ramp, staring up at the stars. His head turned slightly as he became aware of her presence, but he just returned to his previous position. Her smile fell, and she dug through her pocket, plopping down next to him. He glanced over at her, forcing a tiny smile as he took the cigarette she offered him. She held out the lighter as he held the cigarette between his teeth. He squinted in the light, but nodded his thanks as he slowly exhaled. She lit one of her own, lying back on the hatch as she stared up at the stars herself.

"She was the docking pilot," Riddick said quietly, watching his fingers as he rolled the cigarette back and forth between them. She turned her head toward him, only seeing the back of his head. The tension in his shoulders was visible, and she reached out, running a hand over the bulky muscle. "Jack's right," he added, nodding as he paused to take a drag, holding it for a little too long before letting the smoke escape. "She got me out." He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Died in the process, stupid bitch." Chikage couldn't help but smile, knowing exactly where the frustration and name-calling came from. "I was going to leave them there, Chi," he whispered. "The three of them." Chikage's hand paused on his back, and he looked over his shoulder at her. "Jack, Imam, and Carolyn." He turned back to the tarmac. "Left them in a cave, and she came back. Talked me into going to get them. We got separated and they made it to the skiff. I had one in front of me and one behind me." He snickered, but she knew he didn't find the situation humorous, even in hindsight. It was a frustrated snicker, a guilty feeling snicker.

"What happened?" she asked quietly. He licked his lips, glancing in her direction before sighing.

"I got out of it, but they got me good before they went." Her eyes closed.

"That new scar on your leg." He nodded.

"I figured I was dead. Thought the others would sniff me out and finish me off, but she came back for me." He stopped suddenly, rubbing his eyes as he turned his head away from her. She sat up, resting her head on his shoulder. "The last thing she said to me was 'I said I'd die for them, not you'," he said slowly, his voice tight in his throat. "And I still don't know what she meant."

"When did she say she'd die for them?"

"When she was talking me into going back," he answered. "But I don't know if she meant that she said she'd die for them and I didn't or that she said she'd die for them and not die for me." He sighed, puffing his cheeks out.

"She did die for you though, Rick," Chi whispered, planting a kiss on a scar marking his shoulder. His eyes settled on her, and she kissed the mark again, staring up into his eyes.

"You know," he said, a smirk quickly flashing across his face. "You're the only person in the world that's called me that and survived." She laughed, swinging a leg over him to straddle his thighs, wrapping her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her shoulder. She took a long drag off her cigarette and held it, closing her eyes as his hands ran up her thighs to rest in the creases of her hips. She flicked the cigarette out onto the tarmac, watching Riddick's eyes shine as it sent sparks flying across the asphalt. His eyes closed as she cupped his cheeks in her palm, kissing first his forehead and then each of his eyelids before pressing her nose to his.

"You didn't leave them behind, and that's all that matters now," she whispered, feeling his fingers dig into her a little harder. "Don't think about the what if's, because they didn't happen. If Carolyn is the reason you returned to humanity, then god bless her for dying." He sighed into her cleavage, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Imam and Jack are still alive, Rick," she continued. "And she brought you back to life." She felt the tremors in his muscles as she ran her hands over him. He just held her for a while, trembling only slightly. Jack appeared a while later, and Chikage just shook her head. Jack managed a small smile and nodded, going back up the ladder. Chi turned her attention back to the man in her arms. "Hey," she said quietly, running her hands over his head. "Look at me, darlin'." He shook his head, his arms tightening around her. Her brows furrowed, and she pulled away from him, leaning back on her haunches. He turned his head away from her, lowering it from the small amount of light coming from the watch tower. "Rick?" She ran her hands over her face, her mouth falling open as she brought her fingers into the light, rubbing the moisture deposited on them until it evaporated. He scrubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand, but she pulled his hand away, lifting his chin. She stared down at him, but he averted her eyes. "Look at me," she repeated. He closed them for a moment, scrunching his face up before opening them again and focusing on her eyes. "Jesus," she gasped, pressing her forehead to his. Her fingers slowly traced the features of his face, the most vulnerable expression even in his eyes. She shook her head, pressing her lips insistently to his.

"I think I'm just tired," he said quietly, his voice thick. She smiled, wiping the tears away with her thumbs.

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "I mean, if Jack really wants us to do this…" he trailed off. "What do you want, really? Don't give me that 'I want what you two want' bull shit either," he added with a smile.

"Well, you're right. They'll never stop looking for us, and as long as Jack's with us, she's in just as much danger. Hell, they could charge her just for being associated with us," she said quietly. Riddick nodded, rubbing his eyes again.

"What are the chances of us getting out if they decide against us?"

"We won't be there when they read the decision, Rick," she said. His brows furled. "It's not a trial, it's a hearing. A political hearing. We present our evidence and we're done. The only thing we'll find out is whether or not we've been pardoned, and that will go through Mason and the news agencies."

"So it's possible then."

"Extremely," she said with a nod. "I mean, if we hightail it out of there as soon as we get done with our part of the hearing, we could go through a series of starjumps and be on the other side of the charted universe."

"I don't know if Jack could handle more than one starjump at a time," he said thoughtfully.

"She'll have to learn eventually," Chi said with a shrug. He nodded, looking up at her again.

"Let's do it then." She forced a small smile, kissing the tip of his nose before standing.

"No weapons, nothing that could possibly be used as a weapon. We go clean and show them they don't have any reason to keep the prices on our heads," she instructed. "I guess we should get Jack to Imam then, huh?" He nodded, standing slowly.

"Go let Jack know we're taking off ASAP. I'll lock down if you'll get the engines warmed up." She nodded, heading up the ramp, but he caught her hand, pulling her back to him. His lips descended on hers in a slow, gentle gesture. As she lifted an arm to pull him closer, he broke the kiss, moving his lips to her ear. "I love you," he whispered. Her eyes fluttered shut as he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in the side of her neck.

"I've always loved you," she whispered back. He pulled away suddenly.

"That's not what you said before," he scolded. She rolled her eyes, turning toward the ladder leading up to the next floor.

"And I told you we were in an argument at the time." He grinned at her back, snickering when she stuck her tongue out at him to hide her smile as she ascended the ladder. He hit the button to close the hatch and headed toward the ladder.

---

"We're already cleared," Chikage said, turning as Riddick entered the cockpit. He nodded, taking the pilot's seat.

"You strapped in Jack?"

"Yeah."

"Tightly?"

"Yeah," she said suspiciously.

"Good. We've got three starjumps to get you to Imam's and still have time to make the hearing," he said. "If you start feeling queasy, there's a hypo under your arm rest." He turned to her, watching her gulp. "Use it if you have to." She nodded quickly, and he smiled, shaking his head as he turned back to the window. "You'll be fine, Jack. Just remember to breathe." She nodded again, eyes wide. Chikage glanced over her shoulder to give Jack a reassuring smile, even making a face that almost prompted a laugh, before Riddick taxied to the runway. "Okay, three minutes to jump," Riddick announced shortly after breaking into deep space. Jack gripped the armrest with all her strength as the cruiser began to shake violently.

"Is this normal?" she asked quietly. Chikage only nodded, fingers flying over her keyboard as she monitored the ship and the jump.

"You're two degrees to the left, Riddick. Straighten it out," she said quietly. He grunted, adjusting the angle of the cruiser. "Perfect. Hit it." He flipped a plastic cover and his thumb hovered over a button. Jack squeezed her eyes shut and yelped, suddenly feeling like she weighed a thousand pounds. As suddenly as it started, the pressure lifted, and Jack let out a sigh.

"Where are we, Chi?" Riddick asked. Jack's eyes popped open, staring at Riddick. Chikage typed furiously on her keyboard.

"The Tyrius system. Adjust four degrees left, one degree down." Riddick made the adjustment slowly. Chikage checked her systems again and nodded to Riddick.

"Hang on, Jack," he said quietly, punching the button again. Once again, the pressure bore down on her, making it hard to keep her head up, like she was on a super fast rollercoaster or something. Again, as quickly as it came it was gone, and she let out the breath she couldn't move before. She couldn't think of anything to do but shout a four letter word. "You okay back there?"

"Jesus Christ, Riddick," she gasped, her knuckles white at the force of her grip.

"Chi?"

"Tangiers System," she said slowly.

"What?" Riddick barked.

"What the fuck did you do, Rick?" she whispered, checking the computer again, shaking her head and lifting her hands, palms up in an 'I don't know' gesture. "We're in the middle of the Tangiers System. How did you do that?"

"I double jumped?" he asked.

"Pull a circle," Chi suggested. "See if we can get a visual on something." Riddick nodded, guiding the cruiser into a wide arc. A large orange planet came into view, and Riddick let out a low whistle.

"I double jumped," he murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. "Jesus Christ, I double jumped. How did I do that?" Chikage looked over at him, eyes wide.

"What's going on?" Jack asked.

"Somehow he pulled two star jumps at the same time. We just saved a good fifteen minutes," Chikage said slowly, her mouth suddenly dry. In all her experience, she'd never heard of anyone successfully pulling off a double starjump. The best of pilots had tried and never returned, presumably becoming space debris from the force of the jump. She swallowed, reaching to unbuckle her harness. It gave with a click, and she slumped forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she hung her head.

"You okay?" Riddick asked gently. She nodded, then shook her head.

"Do you know how many people have tried that?" she whispered. Riddick swallowed, glancing quickly at Jack, who was leaning back in her chair, resting her head back against the seat.

"Yeah, I do. It wasn't intentional," he answered, releasing his harness. "We've got about an hour until contact. Anyone hungry?" Two female groans answered him, and he shrugged, standing and leaving the cockpit.

"You okay, Jack?" Chi asked weakly.

"Not really," Jack answered, pausing before asking: "You?"

"Oh, fuck," Chikage said, finally starting to laugh. "Fuckin' crazy." Jack sighed, releasing her harness and standing on shaky legs. "You need some coffee, darlin'," Chi said, groaning as she stood. "It helps with the jump hangover."

"You can get a hangover from jumping?"

"Two in a row? Absolutely," Chi said, following Jack down the stairs. "Not to mention the second was a double." Jack snickered, shaking her head. "Get the coffee started, Rick!" Chikage called, almost stumbling down the last two steps. She and Jack ambled over to the table, flopping into chairs. Riddick smirked, scooping the coffee into the percolator and flipping it on.

---

Jack followed Chikage's hand as she handed Riddick a mobile unit. He tucked it into his back pocket and reached into a locker, pulling out three cloaks and handing one to both Chikage and Jack.

"You have what you need?" he asked gruffly, glancing at Jack. She nodded, her voice suddenly missing in action. "Didn't pack everything, did you?" She shook her head. "Good. We're leaving in twenty minutes when it gets dark. Check to make sure everything's locked down, Chi, and packed up, Jack, what you're taking anyway," he directed. They both nodded, leaving him in the cockpit alone. He extracted the mobile unit and stared at the map Chikage had uploaded, quickly memorizing it before tucking it back in his pocket and descending the stairs. Chikage appeared, followed by Jack, who had a backpack slung over her shoulder. "You ready, kid?" She nodded slowly, staring at the ground. "Alright, let's go," he said, wrapping an arm around her as they started toward the cargo hold. He ruffled her hair and smiled down at her, the smile she returned falling quickly. "I'll be back for you," he said quietly, once Chikage had started down the ladder. "I promise." She nodded, following Chi down the ladder and to the hatch. They walked in silence, sticking to the shadows as they stole toward Imam's house. Riddick held out a hand, halting Chikage and Jack in a dark corner before scaling the fence to the rear of Imam's house. They listened for a while. Nothing. A few moments later, Chikage drew her gun, leveling it a cloaked figure that appeared behind Jack. Jack's eyes widened, and she ducked, going straight to Chi's side.

"It is alright," a voice said.

"Imam?" Jack asked, sounding unbelieving.

"Yes, child," came the reply. "Come. We have little time." She nodded, taking a step toward the cloaked man, but Chikage reached out, snatching Jack by the collar of the shirt.

"Show your face," Chi commanded quietly but firmly. Jack looked up at her, then back at Imam as he pulled the hood away from his face. "That him?" she asked, glancing down at Jack, who nodded, now beaming, and Chi's gun disappeared. They followed Imam into the house, and Chikage stood in the foyer, just staring around her. She'd never seen a house so decorated. Candles were placed everywhere, rich and inviting colors on every wall, warm fabrics draped about. It was beautiful.

"Come, child," Imam said gently, reaching out to Chikage. She pulled her arm out of reach, but followed him up the stairs into what seemed to be a sitting room. Riddick had shed his cloak, now back in his black cargos and black beater, sitting on a low chair. She took the chair next to him, folding her legs under her and resting her palms on her knees, her back straight. Riddick smiled, knowing the source of the posture was the yoga.

"We can't stay, Imam," Riddick said quietly. "We just came to drop Jack off for a while."

"What is happening?" Imam asked quickly. "Are you in some sort of danger?"

"No," Riddick said, shaking his head. He stopped, cocking his head to the side as he reconsidered. "Not immediately anyway. We've got a chance at exoneration, and we're taking it. Whether or not we get it, we'll be back for her," he explained, nodding at Jack, who took the cup of tea Imam had offered her. Their eyes locked, and Riddick nodded again, as if reissuing the promise he'd made her. She managed a sad smile and returned the nod. Riddick stood, and Chikage followed suit, staying close to Riddick's side as he moved toward the door. He paused in the doorway, and Chikage stopped at the top of the stairs. "Thank you, Imam," Riddick said quietly. "For looking after Jack."

"It is my pleasure, Mr. Riddick," came Imam's response. "Allah be with you so that you may return to her." Riddick nodded, and his gaze shifted to Jack.

"Jack?" She nodded slowly, biting her lip. "You behave yourself, got it?" A genuine smile as she nodded once at him. "Come here," he commanded, scooping her into his arms. "Stay here with him, please, Jack," he whispered. "Don't make me track you down again."

"I won't, Riddick," she whispered back, clutching to him with all her strength. "Be careful."

"I'll try." He pressed his lips to her forehead and lowered her to her feet. "I'll be back." She nodded, and he turned to go, a pained expression on his face. Chikage smiled weakly, taking her place by his side as they descended the stairs, going out the back door and hopping the wall, quickly returning to the cruiser.


	35. Chapter 35

Lifeline

Chapter 35

Riddick's eyebrow rose as he opened the bathroom door, watching Chikage pull her boots on, lace them and tie them, and then pull down the legs of her black leather pants. She straightened, blinking as she noticed Riddick standing there.

"What?" she asked quietly. He shrugged, walking into the bedroom. She stared at him as he moved to the closet, pulling out a pair of black cargos and a black tee shirt. "Why were you looking at me like that?"

"You look good," he said simply, shrugging one shoulder as he dropped his towel.

"You looked surprised," she pressed, reaching for the black leather trench coat she'd tossed on the bed. He shook his head, tucking his shirt in. She shrugged her coat on, pulling the braided ponytail free.

"Not really," he said, pulling his boots on. "Are you ready?"

"You mean am I put together? Yes. Am I ready to face the IGC again? Fuck no," she said quietly, shoving her hands in the pockets of her coat. "Especially unarmed." He glanced up at her quickly.

"You've gone before the IGC before?" She nodded slowly, swallowing. "When?"

"A while ago they heard an issue on the limitations of women in Company service."

"Limitations…" Riddick said slowly, shaking his head.

"How far they could advance, what kinds of missions they could go on." She shrugged. "Shit like that."

"And?"

"And I was the highest ranking female on one of the most successful and most intense teams. Hell, I was the only female in the entire collection of strike forces," she snickered. "They wanted to hear from the one person in the greatest danger, I guess."

"You were a sniper," Riddick said slowly, tying his boots.

"When you left, yeah," she said. His eyes narrowed up at her. "I asked to transfer into your position a week later. We lost four guys in that amount of time, and I was getting sick of it."

"You asked to transfer." She tilted her head to the side. "You got brass ones, Chi." A small smile broke on her face.

"Well, if I can handle that shit, I can handle a few questions from a panel of IGC goons, right?" she said with a laugh.

"I guess we'll see." He glanced up at the clock. "We gotta go." She nodded, stepping aside to let him through the door first, following him out.

---

Riddick and Chikage paused at the corner, staring up at the huge building looming over them. Suddenly, she felt lost without her guns, and he without his shivs. They glanced at each other for a moment and stepped out into the streets. The people that had been milling around suddenly stopped, staring at the pair dressed in all black as they walked across the street, eyes straight ahead. The murmurs continued as a quiet hum as they closed on the doors to the IGC, cheers erupting the moment Riddick opened the door for Chikage. He stared out into the crowd, and it fell silent until he also disappeared through the door. They each opened an inner door, pushing into the main room simultaneously. All action stopped, at least twenty pairs of eyes focused on them. Riddick saw her eyes shift to the guard standing at the metal detectors before them, and turned his attention as well, watching the guard reach for the pistol on his hip.

"We're just here to talk to the council," Chikage said, slowly raising her hands. "They should be expecting us."

"They are," the guard said shortly. The snap on his holster popped, and Riddick raised his arms as well.

"Go ahead and take it out, buddy," Riddick said quietly, nodding to the man's gun. "We're not planning on causing any trouble. I think we can understand people wanting guns on us right now." Chikage nodded, and the guard raised his gun, motioning with the barrel for them to continue through the metal detector. Riddick went first, without incident. Chikage walked through, and the alarm went off, red lights flashing.

"Got any change in your pockets? Guns in your boots?" She sighed, walking around to the other side of the detector again.

"The only metal I have on me is the clasps of my boots and the underwire in my bra," she answered.

"Boots off."

"And the bra?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah," he said quickly. "On the table here." She cocked her head to the side, pulling her coat off and handing it to him, waiting until he was done fishing through her pockets before pulling the black lycra shirt over her head, tossing the bra on the table before walking through the detector again, naked from the waist up. She stopped on the other side, placing her hands on her hips and turning back to the guard.

"Happy now?" she asked without any inflection in her voice, nothing to indicate her assessment of the situation.

"Get dressed," the guard said quietly, swallowing. Riddick held his smile back as she glared at the guard, reaching for her clothes. A moment later, the guard followed them to the elevator, another taking over for him at the entrance. Chikage pushed the button and shifted her coat on her shoulders with a slight shrug. The gun was kept trained on them up to the fifteenth floor, and the guard waited for them to get out before following, staying behind them. Mason sat on a bench with a briefcase in his lap, a leg bouncing nervously. He heard the ding of the elevator as it signaled its order to descend back to the first floor and looked up, scrambling to his feet as he saw Riddick, Chikage at his side, and the guard behind them. He met them halfway between the elevator and the door to the hearing room, glancing anxiously at the gun.

"I didn't really think you guys would show up," he said, quickly getting his nerves under control. "I'm glad you did," he added with an honest smile. His eyes turned to the guard. "You can go now. Thanks." The guard paused.

"You sure?" Mason gave him a dismissive nod, and he stood there for a moment before replacing his gun in its holster and walking back to the elevator, his hand hovering over his weapon as he waited, watching them intently.

"They should be ready in a few minutes. You two will testify first and then I'll present… my…" he trailed off, brows furrowing as he looked past the pair. They both turned, and Chikage absentmindedly grasped Riddick's elbow, two heavily armed guards approaching them, chains in hand.

"Mason?" she asked quietly. He shook his head, stammering without forming coherent words.

"This wasn't part of the deal," Riddick said, his voice dangerous as he addressed the guards.

"The council feels it's in their best interest," one of the guards said, a smarmy grin sliding across his lips. "If you're really just here to talk to them like you say you are, there's no problem here, is there?" Chikage's fingers tightened on his arm, and his eyes narrowed.

"No chains," he said flatly.

"They won't hear your case without them," the second guard informed. "It's for their protection. And let's face it, chains aren't as scary as guns, now, are they?" Chikage glared, lowering her hand from Riddick's arm.

"Can you give us a minute to discuss it with our clerk here?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and nodding to Mason, who audibly gulped. The guard shrugged, and both of them took a few steps back. "No chains," she hissed quietly at Mason.

"I told them they'd have nothing to worry about as long as you didn't feel threatened," Mason mumbled.

"Can you make this case without us?" Riddick asked, watching Mason's eyes snap up to his, then move away quickly. He wasn't sure if it was the man's answer or fear of the shine that made him so edgy.

"No," Mason said. Chikage sighed, shaking her head.

"No chains," she repeated.

"Chi, listen to me," Riddick said quietly, containing the urge to touch her. For some reason he felt like it would somehow compromise them if anyone in this place thought they cared. He just chalked it up to instinct, and his seemingly natural fear of people capitalizing on and taking advantage of his rare attachments to other humans. "I know, believe me, but if this is the only way…" he trailed off, shaking his head as he tried to keep the goose bumps from rising at the thought of having the metal touch his skin again. "We came this far, and I doubt it will be easy to back out now with so many people knowing we're here right now." Her eyes squeezed shut, and she shook her head, inhaling sharply.

"Fine," she said suddenly, adjusting the vertebrae in her neck. "But if I wig out, it's not my fault." Riddick nodded, turning to the guards. Mason had a quizzical expression on his face, but she only shook her head and it dissipated. The chains rattled as the guards took the two steps they'd retreated, and Riddick held his arms out, palms up. Chikage's face whitened as the cuffs clicked around his wrist, and the guard wrapped the connected chain around Riddick's waist, securing his arms close to his body.

"Next," the first guard said cheerfully, as though he was a bank teller and Chikage was a patron. She scowled at him taking off her coat, and he snatched a wrist, quickly slapping a cuff around it as the other guard took her jacket. A shiver ran down her spine, and she felt Riddick take a small step toward her, his arm barely grazing her shoulder as the other cuff was secured. "They're waiting." Chikage let out a slow breath, and she and Riddick were shoved toward the door, Mason following the guards pushing them into the room. They were split up, taken to separate podiums, where their ankles were chained to a metal loop in the floor. Riddick's head snapped up, his attention torn from the guard securing his feet as Chikage let out a cry. He started to move, but the guard's hand shot out, flipping a latch on the cuffs. Riddick grunted, two spikes shooting out of the inside of the metal bindings into his wrists, one on the top and one on the bottom, meant to keep the occupants from trying to slip out of them. He shook his head, as though shaking the pain from his mind, and turned to Mason, who stood frozen behind his podium, staring at Chikage in horror. Blood dripped from her fingertips as she stood to her full height, pulling her shoulders back as she blocked out the pain, her attention now on the parade of council members filing into the room, standing behind their chairs until the door was closed.

"Richard B. Riddick and Chikage Pierce, both in the same room," the councilman in the center said, a wry smile on his lips. "To what do we owe the pleasure of you both choosing to grace us with an appearance?"

---

Chikage sat in her cell, leaning against the bars behind her bunk, her knees drawn to her chest and arms balanced on them, hands hanging limply from the gauze wrapped over the thick puncture marks on both sides of her wrists. She heaved a sigh and shook her head.

"This is so incredibly fucked up," she muttered, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back with a thump against a bar behind her. Metal clanged down the hall, and she opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling as an outer gate opened. Chains rattled, feet shuffled, and she lifted her head, staring out into the hallway as a guard stopped outside her holding cell in the basement of IGC headquarters. Her mouth fell open as a guard pushed Riddick down the corridor past the door to her cell, a steady trickle of blood running from a cut in his temple, his eye already puffy and purple. "Riddick?" she asked quietly. He only glanced at her, scowling, and she swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. He was shoved into the cell next to hers with such force it almost threw him off balance enough to fall, but he recovered, turning to sit on the edge of his bunk without a word. The guard made a snorting snickering noise, shook his head and turned back down the corridor, twirling his key ring around a finger. "Are you okay?" she asked timidly, turning her head slightly to look at him from the corner of her eye.

"I'm fine," he said, wiping more blood from his face. "Just a cut." She nodded, turning her head and resting it against the bars behind her again. "You?"

"I guess," she said quietly, staring at the wrapping around her wrists. She felt his eyes on her and turned, managing a weak smile. He sighed, shaking his head. Her eyes focused on the ceiling again, and felt a sudden warmth at her back, realizing he'd scooted back on his cot to rest against the bars behind him, just as she was, with his back against hers.

"Are we alone?" he asked quietly.

"There's a camera in the hallway," she answered in a whisper. "I can't tell if it's just video or not." He nodded. "Why didn't they just put us in together?" she sighed. His light chuckle echoed off the concrete walls surrounding the holding area, split into cells only by bars.

"It's a holding area, not a slam. They never put more than one person in a single cell until they run out of room, and then it's never someone you know."

"So what now?"

"We behave ourselves," he said quietly. "They're expecting trouble from us, so we're not going to do anything." She nodded absently. "Get some sleep," he added gruffly. She sighed, sliding to the mattress with a groan. Riddick continued sitting there, and she gave up on watching him, falling into a restless sleep.


	36. Chapter 36

Lifeline

Chapter 36

Riddick woke with a start, Chikage's scream echoing through the nearly empty holding area. Keys jangled as the security guard ran down the corridor, and Riddick turned on his other side, reaching through the bars to gently shake her.

"Chi," he whispered, shaking her harder. She whimpered, her face scrunched as she trembled. "Chikage, wake up."

"What the fuck is going on?" the guard demanded, his shock stick drawn and powered up.

"She's having a nightmare," Riddick growled. "Go back to your doughnuts."

"You better watch your mouth, boy."

"And you better get the fuck out of here," Riddick snapped, tearing his eyes away from her long enough to glare. The guard lingered for a moment, looking Chikage over quickly to make sure Riddick hadn't harmed her and tried to cover up. Seeing no marks on her, other than the ones her handcuffs had made, he scowled at Riddick and walked away. "Chikage. Wake up," he repeated, shaking her nearly enough to make the bed frame smack against the bars between them. She started, sitting up and nearly dislocating his elbow, still jammed between two cell bars. He grunted, and she turned to him, wide-eyed.

"What?"

"You were having a bad dream," he said, pulling his arm back into his own cell. She sighed, shaking her head as she lay back down, rubbing her hands over her arms to rid her skin of goose bumps. "The chains?" She nodded, draping a forearm over her eyes.

"I'm okay now, thanks," she whispered. "Go back to sleep." She lifted her arm, raising up slightly as his fingers closed around hers. Her eyes flitted up to his face, but his eyes were closed. She squeezed his hand gently, smiling as he did the same, and drifted off again.

---

"Now ain't that cute?" Riddick opened his eyes, staring at Chikage for a moment before retracting his arm from her cell and sitting up, stretching lazily.

"Breakfast already?" he asked gruffily. "I don't smell any coffee."

"Don't be a smartass," the guard said flatly. "Get your girlfriend up. The Council's ready to see you." His eyebrow rose, and he turned to Chikage, but she was already sitting up, cracking her neck. "Come on," he pushed. "Move it. They're not going to wait forever."

"What, I don't get to brush my teeth before we go?" Chikage snorted, standing and stretching.

"Yeah, yeah. Arms through the opening," the guard said, waving at the rectangular hold in the cell door. They heard chains rattle, and Chikage sighed, placing her hands on her hips.

"No spikes this time," Riddick said firmly.

"Nope," the guard said, holding the bindings up for them to see. Riddick glanced at Chikage quickly, the color already drained from her face.

"Just take me. Then bring me back here and we'll go from there," he suggested, watching Chikage look at him sharply.

"I'm fine," she insisted, suppressing the anxiety and sticking her arms through the opening. Her eyes locked with Riddick's, holding them as the guard slapped the cuffs on, checking them before going to Riddick's door. He did the same, his gaze still trained on Chikage, another guard appearing to help this guard take them up to the hearing room. The walk was silent, as was the elevator ride. Two more guards were outside the elevator to take them into the hearing room, and Mason stood outside the door, looking like he'd not slept in days.

"Are you two okay?" Mason asked quickly.

"Just peachy," Chikage quipped, rattling her chains for emphasis. Riddick snickered, shaking his head, and they were pushed into the hearing room, the two prisoners locked to the floor again before the guards exited and the Council members filed in.

The room was silent for a solid five minutes as the Council members looked over their notes, none of the witnesses looking at each other, just straight ahead at the chief Council member. Finally, he snapped his folder shut and folded his hands over it, leaning forward.

"We've looked over the evidence presented, and I must say, Mr. Mason," he paused, glancing first at Riddick, then Chikage. They each arched a brow as though choreographed. "You've surprised every one of us."

"How so, your honor?" Mason stammered. Chikage fought from rolling her eyes. The man was just too easily intimidated.

"Well, for one thing, it takes some courage to bring an issue before the Council unsolicited." Mason visibly gulped. "And for another, the amount of support you were able to get together."

"With all due respect, sir," Mason interjected, "I couldn't have done it without Mr. Riddick and Ms. Pierce." The chief member gave him a hard stare.

"And Ms. Bournet, am I correct?" Mason paused, then gave a small nod. "She came before us in a separate hearing yesterday, just to inform you," he continued. A thoughtful pause, meant to make the witnesses nervous, and it only worked on the supposedly seasoned one, Mason. "Her testimony in addition to the three of you speaking before us proved quite persuasive," he said, sounding impressed. "We've reached a decision," he finally said, sitting back in his chair. "Ms. Pierce is to be exonerated fully and completely for her crimes. She will be tagged for probation for the duration of three years, with full rights to movement without previous approval. Once a year, she will return to Ergon for a complete physical, to be performed by Ms. Bournet, and should she fail to do so, her exoneration will be revoked and the mercenaries will be out in full force to find her and return her to us for judgment." Chikage's jaw clenched, but she remained quiet. "As for you, Mr. Riddick," he continued, leaning his elbows on the table. "You shall return to Slam 154 to be imprisoned for an amount of time not to exceed two years, and will be paroled, should the board approve, after an amount of time no less than one year. You will be given the benefit of the doubt and placed on the first level, and I'm sure you're aware of the nature of that part of the prison," he paused at Riddick's grin. Chikage stared at him, horrified at the decision being read. "However, even one incident and you shall be thrown in the bowels of the prison and serve out the remainder of each and every sentence ever handed down to you by a judiciary authority under the IGC's authority."

"Your honor…" Mason trailed off as the chief member turned to him. "I believe Mr. Riddick has proven himself to be trustworthy and greatly appreciative of the Council's agreeing to hear his case," he stammered, his voice strengthening as he continued. "I feel it's in the Council's best interest, sir, to provide him with the same opportunity as Ms. Pierce has been presented with in order to compensate him for the trouble Company has caused him."

"In the Council's best interest how, exactly?" the chief asked, narrowing his eyes at Mason. Mason glanced at Chikage, then Riddick, before turning back to the chief.

"Well, sir, Mr. Riddick wouldn't have had to endure the experimental procedures in the first place if the IGC had investigated the legitimacy of Company's compliance to cease the experiments in the first place, sir." Riddick stared openly at Mason. "We've proven that said experiments are the source of his deviant behavior, and subsequently he's shown he can control himself. I'm sure if the Council granted him the same respect he's granted the Council, insofar as he's followed the correct channels by which to bring the incidents to the Council's attention, he will agree to comply with the rules of his probation, should they follow the same guidelines as that which has been granted Ms. Pierce." Mason stopped, taking in a deep breath to replace the air lost in the wordy summation of his argument. The chief's eyebrow rose.

"Are you blackmailing me, Mr. Mason?"

"No, sir," Mason answered quickly and firmly. "I'm merely bringing it to the attention of the Council that Mr. Riddick has proven himself worthy of the justice so readily awarded his colleague," he continued, turning to Chikage.

"Mr. Mason," another Council member piped up. She glanced quickly at the chief Councilman before turning back to Mason. "Would you mind leaving us with Mr. Riddick and Ms. Pierce?"

"I'd rather not," he said, then thinking quickly, added "respectfully." The Councilwoman cocked her head to the side and sat back.

"Very well. I'd like to offer a compromise," she continued. "If Mr. Chief Councilman agrees, I would be willing to allow Mr. Riddick and Ms. Pierce to split the term recommended for Mr. Riddick, to be served at Slam 154 Level One. If either of you is denied parole, the other is as well. You will be shown the same strictness aforementioned by my superior Council member, meaning, Mr. Riddick and Ms. Pierce, one incident and you both serve the remainder of Mr. Riddick's sentences deemed by the IGC to be legitimate."

"No," Riddick said quickly. Chikage glanced at him.

"Riddick—" she started.

"No," he repeated, more firmly this time, unwilling to meet her eyes.

"The choice is yours to make," the chief Council member said, standing. "You will be given two hours to discuss it until the Council reconvenes." With that, the panel left, Riddick, Chikage, and Mason still standing there. No guards entered to unshackle them.

"It would be a shorter term, Riddick," Mason said quietly.

"I said no," he snapped, staring at Mason. This time, Mason didn't look away, evidently drawing some self-confidence from getting the Council to reconsider their original decision. "She's not going to a fucking slam," he continued, nodding at Chikage without looking at her.

"What about Jack, then?" she asked. "You really want to leave her for two years; leave both of us for two years?" Riddick blinked quickly, finally turning his eyes on the woman now straining against her chains. "If we both serve the time, it'll go faster. A year tops."

"And what's Jack gonna do in the mean time?" Riddick snapped, his forehead creasing. "A year's a long fucking time for a fourteen year old girl, Chi."

"You told her to stay at Imam's until we came to get her," Chikage said. "Mason can send word to Imam what happened and Jack will know we didn't forget about her."

"She won't stay with him that long," Riddick said, shaking his head.

"Yes," Chikage insisted, "she will."

"Chikage, I need to know she's okay. If you stay with her, I'll know she'll be taken care of, even if something happens to me there." Chikage's eyebrow rose. "If we're both in there, neither one of us can promise to get back to her because we won't even know if we'll be alive the next minute."

"What are you saying? What's with level one of slam 154?"

"It's the solitary section of a triple maximum prison," Mason explained. "Inmates are given cells and allowed to roam during certain hours, otherwise locked down."

"And you don't have a door to close unless you're locked down," Riddick said firmly. "They'll put you on a separate cell block and we'll have different roaming hours."

"We've handled worse."

"Riddick, I can pick up Jack and take her to Marie," Mason offered. "If she knows what's happening, she may be more likely to stay with Marie if she won't stay with Imam."

"She won't stay with anyone," Riddick said quietly, shaking his head.

"Then why not cut the time in half and be able to track her down sooner?" Chikage asked. Riddick sighed, gripping the podium in front of him as he hung his head, his chains clinking as he moved. "Listen. We make a promise to each other that nothing happens and we'll both be out of there in six months. That's a hell of a lot better than me trying to keep her roped in for a year or more."

"And you're not worried this is a fucking setup just like the line about us having temporary immunity during the hearing?" Riddick suddenly yelled, raising his head to glare at her.

"If we don't go before a parole board in six months, we get the fuck out of 154, find Jack, and hunker down somewhere," Chikage said firmly. "But something tells me we've got two people on the outside that won't let them fuck us over like that." Mason nodded, turning back to Riddick, who stared straight at Chikage. A minute passed, then two, and Riddick finally nodded.

---

"Richard B. Riddick. You understand the nature of this hearing?" Riddick nodded, his eyes shifting between the three people seated at a beat up table, shifting slightly in the metal chair he'd taken.

"I do," he said quietly.

"And you understand the nature of the agreement you're being held to?" the parole board member continued.

"Yes, ma'am," he said respectfully. She nodded toward the man seated between her and the third board member, the man leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table.

"Your associate, one Chikage Pierce, has already appeared before this board, and this board has made a ruling." He paused to ruffle through the papers in front of him, finally stopping and looking up at Riddick. "Mr. Riddick, you've served seven months in solitary confinement with only one incident. According to my records, the prison judiciary board found that incident to be self-defense on your part, with little injury done to the other inmate involved." Riddick nodded.

"That's right," he said quietly.

"You wanna tell me about that?" Riddick heaved a sigh, shifting in his seat, the chain securing his arms giving a metallic, almost musical series of clinks.

"Alarm sounded for roaming hours," Riddick started, "I didn't really feel like walking around, so I just stayed in my cell." He shook his head a little. "Just thinking." He faded for a moment, recalling the incident, then snapped out of it, raising his eyes to the panel of parole board members before him. "Anyway, guy comes in and starts talking shit, and I told him I didn't have a problem with him as long as he got out of my cell." The female board member nodded, silently urging him to continue. He licked his lips, shaking his head. "He pulled a shiv on me and I got him to the ground and held him there until the guards showed up. Then I backed off and let the guards rough me up until they were happy, and then I went back to thinkin'," he finished with a shrug.

"What were you thinking about?" the female board member asked. He glanced at her sharply, mostly on instinct. "If I may ask," she amended, adding a small smile.

"I was thinking about the fifteen year old girl that's waiting for me to get out of prison and finish training her to be a pilot. I was thinking about how much I let her down to get the fuckin' bounty off my head so we could live a normal life. I was thinking about the woman in a cell block somewhere down the hallway that I haven't seen in seven months, wondering if she was still alive and in one piece or if some asshole got to her when I wasn't there to protect her. I was thinking about what I was going to do when I finally got out of this shit hole and got back to the closest thing to family I've ever known and realized I don't have a fucking clue." The three board members blinked in unison. "But I'll figure it out when I get there." The middle panel member cleared his throat and nodded.

"We've discussed your file and the behavior we've witnessed in the seven months you've been here, Mr. Riddick," he said quietly. "The board has ruled that your parole shall be granted, and, as per agreement, we will submit our results to the InterGalactic Council for review."

"And Chikage?" Riddick pressed.

"It's not your concern for now, Mr. Riddick," he said firmly.

"Not my concern?!" Riddick started to stand, but the sound of a shock stick powering up made him stop. "Jesus Christ," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head with a sardonic grin.

"We expect a ruling from the IGC within the week, and you will be notified of the status of your parole once the ruling goes through the proper channels," the woman said. Riddick stood as the guard approached him, staring over his shoulder at the board members as he was led out of the room and back to his cell.

---

Chikage opened the box containing her personal effects and dressed quickly, inhaling deeply as she lifted her trench coat to her nose. She loved the smell of leather more than anything, and she closed her eyes, smiling slightly as she sniffed again. She pulled on her boots, her eyes darkening as the orange prison jumpsuit caught her attention, leaving them behind without another glance as the guard opened the door for her. The port lobby was empty, and she stood at the window, staring out at the crew running around to ready the ship that would take them back to Ergon, where the cruiser hopefully remained. The air shifted, and she turned, her brows furrowing as she tried to control her emotions. Finally she gave up, closing the distance between them and wrapping him in a crushing hug, her lips claiming his desperately. She felt him smile against her, his arms winding tightly around her back. Tears spilled onto her cheeks as she opened her eyes, and he brushed them away quickly, nodding toward the door.

"What do you say we get outta here?" She nodded, and his arm stayed wrapped securely around her waist as they walked to the awaiting ship.

---

Jack looked up at her doorway and smiled, turning her attention back to the book in her lap. She turned the page, glancing up again as Imam walked to the chair next to the door, settling into it with a sigh.

"It's been seven months, Jack," he said quietly. Her smile fell, and she shut the book. "Almost eight, actually."

"He's coming back, Imam," she insisted, staring at the cover of the book. "He promised he would."

"I know he did, child," Imam sighed, leaning back in his chair. "And I know he asked that you stay here with me until he returned, but I never expected you would."

"I promised him," she said simply, adding in a small shrug as though it were no big deal.

"But you are not happy here," Imam continued. "I can tell that as easily as one tells night from day." He heaved a sigh. "All I wish is for your happiness. If you would like to go, you may. I do not mean to keep you here against your will."

"Imam, I'm staying because it'll be easier for Riddick to find me if I do. You remember what happened last time I left after you told me you wanted me to be happy and I wasn't happy here." Imam nodded solemnly. "I'm staying until Riddick finds me."

"I've made your favorite for dinner." Jack smiled. Imam always changed the subject when he got too uncomfortable. "It's getting cold." He stood, leaving the room, and she shook her head, setting the book aside as she stood, letting out a groan as she stretched. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, staring down at the massive spread Imam had laid with more care than usual.

"Holy shit, Imam," she quipped.

"Language, child," Imam chided, glancing at her sternly as he set a pitcher of water on the table. "Sit." She grinned, shaking her head as she walked toward the table.

"There's no way the two of us are going to eat all this," she continued, pulling out a chair and flopping into it. "You better have room in the fridge for all the leftovers."

"Something tells me there won't be any." Jack twisted quickly in her chair, nearly making herself dizzy. A figure stood against the wall, the face shadowed by the cloak hood pulled over his head.

"Riddick?" The hood pulled back, and Chikage smiled. Jack's eyebrow rose, and her eyes shifted as Chikage nodded to her left, Riddick stepping into the light from the darkened study. In an instant, Jack leaped from her chair, almost knocking Riddick over. Imam chuckled, pulling out a chair for Chikage. Riddick pried himself from Jack's grasp, tousling her hair as he walked her to the table, taking the seat between Jack and Chikage, across from Imam.

"Told you I'd come back," he said quietly, elbowing Jack gently. She beamed up at him, and Imam cleared his throat. "Go ahead, holy man," Riddick said with a nod. Imam smiled, turning to Chikage before starting his prayer.


End file.
